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M Mohsin Chowdhury
M Mohsin Chowdhury

This document provides an introduction to the book "Food Styling for Photographers: A Guide to Creating Your Own Appetizing Art" by Linda Bellingham and Jean Ann Bybee. It includes biographies of the authors, Linda Bellingham and Jean Ann Bybee, acknowledging their backgrounds and experiences in food styling and photography. The document also presents acknowledgments, a preface, a table of contents that outlines the book's 12 chapters on various topics related to food styling for photography.

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Food Styling for Photographers A Guide to Creating Your Own Appetizing Art LINDA BELLINGHAM JEAN ANN BYBEE WITH BRAD G. ROGERS AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON NEW YORK • OXFORD • PARIS • SAN DIEGO SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier
Publisher: Marie Hooper Acquisitions Editor: Cara Anderson Publishing Services Manager: George Morrison Senior Project Manager: Dawnmarie Simpson Associate Acquisitions Editor: Asma Palmerio Assistant Editor: Katy Stencer Marketing Manager: Christine Degon Veroulis Interior Design: Joanne Blank Cover Design: Eric DeCicco Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier 30 Corporate Drive, Suite 400, Burlington, MA 01803, USA Linacre House, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8DP, UK Copyright © 2008 Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier’s Science & Technology Rights Department in Oxford, UK: phone: (+44) 1865 843830, fax: (+44) 1865 853333, E-mail: permissions@elsevier.com. You may also complete your request online via the Elsevier homepage (http://elsevier.com), by selecting “Support & Contact” then “Copyright and Permission” and then “Obtaining Permissions.” Recognizing the importance of preserving what has been written, Elsevier prints its books on acid-free paper whenever possible. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Bellingham, Linda. Food styling for photographers : a guide to creating your own appetizing art / Linda Bellingham, Jean Ann Bybee. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN-13: 978-0-240-81006-5 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Photography of food. 2. Photography—Miscellanea. 3. Food presentation. I. Bybee, Jean Ann. II. Title. TR656.5.B44 2008 778′.96413—dc22 2007044859 British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN: 978-0-240-81006-5 For information on all Focal Press publications visit our website at www.books.elsevier.com 08 09 10 11 5 4 3 2 1 Printed in China. Working together to grow libraries in developing countries www.elsevier.com | www.bookaid.org | www.sabre.org
Dedication To my sons, Scott and Ben, my sources of inspiration Linda Bellingham To my wonderful daughter, Audrey Jean Ann Bybee
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Disclaimer The contents of this book and techniques described herein are intended solely for the purpose of preparing food for photography and are not intended for nor should they be used as methods of preparing foods for consumption.
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vii Contents Disclaimer v About the Authors xiii Acknowledgments xvii Preface xix Chapter  Introduction to Food Styling 1 A Few Rules for Food Styling: 3 Have a Plan 4 Be Prepared 5 Shop Wisely 6 Looking for a Hero 6 Tools of the Trade: Assembling Your Food Styling Kit 8 Basic Kit Components 8 Equipment Often Used for Food Styling 10 Supplies Often Used in Food Styling 11 Chapter  Sets and Settings 15 Basics to Consider When Planning Food Photography 16 What’s the Point of the Shot? 16 How to Make Food Pop in the Image 18 Tips for Choosing Sets and Surfaces for Food Photography 18 Table Setting Tips 21 Working Fabric on the Set 22
C O N T E N T S viii Chapter  Chilling Facts about Cold Beverages 27 The Beverage of Choice 29 Frosted Glass Preparation Techniques 29 Creating Condensation 33 Building Acrylic Cubes in a Glass 36 On Set 38 Adding Liquid to the Hero Glass 39 Making and Placing Bubbles 40 Removing Liquid from a Hero Glass 42 Slushy Drinks: The Magic Frozen Margarita 46 Going to Set with the Margaritas 49 Chapter  Making a Salad for the Camera 55 Selection of Salad Ingredients 56 Shopping and Handling Techniques for Produce 56 Tips for Keeping Salad Greens Fresh 58 Salad Support Techniques 60 How to Dress a Salad for Photography 61 Building the Salad and Taking It to Set 62 On Set before Final Photography 63 Fruit Salads 65 Techniques for Fruit Prep 65 Building a Fruit Salad and Taking It to Set 68 Dressing a Fruit Salad 69
C O N T E N T S ix Chapter  Pasta and Sauces 73 Perfect Pasta for the Camera 74 Sauces for Pasta and Vegetable Salads 76 Food Additions to the Pasta 77 Building the Pasta 77 Adding a Spoon or Other Flatware That Will Hold Food 80 Potato, Pasta, and Vegetable Salads 82 Chapter  Burgers, Sandwiches, and Beyond 87 The Hamburger 88 Finding the Perfect Hamburger Bun 88 Prepping Burger Components 92 Prepping Burger Patties 93 Adding Color to the Burger Patties 95 Building the Hero Burger 95 On Set with the Hero Burger 100 The Whole Sandwich 102 Shopping for Sandwich Elements 102 Prepping Sandwich Ingredients 102 Building the Hero Whole Sandwich 105 On Set with a Whole Sandwich 106 Building a Half or Cut Sandwich for Photography 108 Chapter  Meeting Meat Head-On 115 Basic 101 for Photo Meat 116 Griddle Method of Cooking Meat for Photography 117
C O N T E N T S x Grill Marks 119 Slicing Hero Meat—Exposing the Interior 120 Color for Photo Meat 121 Building Slices on the Hero Plate 123 Braising Method for Thicker Cuts of Meat 125 Styling Meat with Bones for the Camera 129 Ribs 129 Roasting Poultry for the Camera 134 Shopping for Hero Poultry 134 Turkeys for Photography 134 Prepping the Bird 135 Making the Bird a Hero 138 Here Fishy, Fishy: Fish Are Different Critters 143 Cooking Fish for the Camera 144 Chapter  Veggie Perfect 149 Shopping for Vegetables 150 Prepping Vegetables for Photography 151 Methods of Cooking Vegetables for Photography 154 Steaming 155 Blanching 156 Cooking Vegetables on a Griddle 160 Baking Vegetables 162 Making Grill Marks on Vegetables 163 Veggies on Set 164
C O N T E N T S xi Chapter  Ice Cream for Hot Lights 167 The Real Deal 168 A Great Fake 168 Building Cones on Set 172 Final Touches to the Fake Ice Cream on Set 175 A Bowl of Ice Cream 180 Chapter  Desserts 185 Whole Cakes 186 Showing a Cut Cake to the Camera 187 Building the Cake 191 Building a Hero Slice of Cake 192 Frosting the Cake and Slice 194 Cheesecakes Are Different! 198 Having Visual Fun with Cookies: Techniques for Building Stacks 204 Breaking Cookies 207 Chapter  Breakfast for the Camera 209 Making Bacon for the Camera 210 Beautiful Biscuits 211 Scrambled Eggs 212 Building the Hero Plate 213 On Set 214 A South-of-the-Border Version of Sunny-Side-Up 216 Making Eggs Sunny-Side-Up 216 Building the Hero Huevos Rancheros Plate 217
C O N T E N T S xii Chapter  Garnishing Basics 221 Garnishing Guidelines 222 Citrus Garnishing Ideas 222 Be Picky with Herb Garnishes 225 A Dandelion Is on My Plate! 227 Use Ice Water to Make Curls 228 Tame and Revive Strawberry and Tomato Tops 230 Sauce a Plate 230 Don’t Forget Frying 231 Appendix 233 Glossary 237 Index 241
xiii About the Authors LINDA BELLINGHAM Ever since I was young, I have been interested in the production of good-tasting and eye-tantalizing food. My first memory of working with food takes me back to the age of five when I snuck one of my mom’s sauce- pans out into the fall garden. After coercing my dad to make a small fire in his camp stove, I proceeded to select fresh vegetables from the garden, then sliced and diced them to make my first ratatouille. A number of instructors in both high school and college encouraged me to be creative artistically and to continue down the food path. Actually my journey to the present reminds me of a path that is built with stepping stones. As I stand on one stone, another stone of opportunity is presented to me and I get to move further down the path. I know many people have detours and forks in their career journeys, but my path has been very direct. When I graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in home economics and education, I taught high school home economics. That job lasted two years until the first of my two sons was born. While spending a few years at home with my young children, I started a gourmet dinner club with friends. I just couldn’t ignore the call to be creative with food. When events in my life forced me to seek a full-time job, I applied for work at a trendy cater- ing business that also housed and supported a branch of the Institute of Culinary Arts where entry-level people were being trained to work in commercial kitchens. The job I applied for was a multi-hat position as instructor of the institute, chef for the catering business, and general kitchen support. Part of my interview for the job required that I do a demonstration of paté choux for the owner and the kitchen manager. I remember burning some mid- night oil getting ready for the presentation, and it paid off because I was hired. I learned I would also be required to prep for and be present for some biweekly evening classes for the paying public. When my boss asked me to teach a couple of the evening classes, I knew I was doing a good job! After only a few years, the storeowner passed away and the business was dissolved.To generate income, I began making desserts at home to sell to local restau- rants. One restaurant owner hired me to work as a pastry chef in his three-star restaurant. During the two years I
xiv was there, I started my own catering business to supple- ment my income.The catering business was a big success. I was able to purchase a van and hire assistants. But a couple of years later when the oil business in Oklahoma took a nosedive, so did my clients’ budgets for catered events. I decided to relocate to an area that was more economically diverse. After a move to Dallas, Texas, I had the good fortune to meet a freelance food stylist who offered to be my food styling mentor. She guaranteed that during the time I worked with her, I would be introduced to photographers and art directors who might have food styling work for me in the future. She also strongly encouraged me to build a portfolio. The only thing she asked in return was that I assist her when she worked. She assured me I would make more money working with her than I could as a pastry chef.That was all I needed to hear to convince me to accept her offer. The combination of being an artsy girl and having a solid background in food, including food chemistry, nutrition, and presentation, made me a natural in the world of food styling. My career quickly progressed from assistant, to stylist, to lead stylist in the Dallas market. I was a freelance food stylist in the Dallas commercial market for more than 20 years. When it comes to food styling, I have done it all, for both film and still pho- tography. My client list includes many national and inter- national food accounts: Bennigan’s, Chili’s, Braum’s Ice Cream, Steak & Ale, Safeway, Popeye’s Chicken, Sam’s Club, Neiman Marcus, Harry & David, Travel Hosts, Quaker Foods, Weight Watchers, Burleson’s Honey, Affiliated Foods, Fleming Foods, Fresh World Farms, Excel Beef, Earth Grain, Rainbow Bread, Fur’s Cafeteria, Baskin Robbin’s Ice Cream, Schlotzsky’s, Wolf Brand Chili, Church’s Chicken, Tony Roma, Pizza Inn, Harri- gan’s, Embassy Suites, Taco Tico, Del Taco, McDonald’s, Long John Silver’s, Taco Bueno, American Airlines, Rudy’s Farm Sausage, Grandy’s, Mrs. Crockett, Tyson Foods, FritoLay, and Collin Street Bakery, among others. One of my most frequent clients, Harry & David, offered me a full-time position as stylist manager in their in- house photography studio. I accepted that offer and spent a few years working with them in Oregon. Now I am taking yet another step down my career path with the creation of this book, and I look forward to teaching seminars on food styling. I’ve learned many things about food styling from various sources during my career. A great deal of my accumulated knowledge was gathered through the trial-and-error method, while some information was shared by other food stylists. However, during the last 12 years I was A B O U T T H E A U T H O R S
xv called on to train several stylists and it is from those students that I learned firsthand the truth behind the phrase “the teacher becomes the student.” Their ideas and creative experimentation led to numerous new shortcuts and techniques that achieved better results. During the years I styled food in Dallas, I worked with numerous professional photographers.Some have become friends of mine including Jean Ann Bybee. Jean Ann, her husband Brad Rogers, and I maintained our friendship over the years and miles after my move to Oregon. When she and I first started working together more than 20 years ago, we realized that something special, a magically creative process, happened when we worked in the studio. When the idea of writing this book became a reality, my editor suggested I partner with a photographer. Jean Ann was my first choice. JEAN ANN BYBEE As a child, I played with my father’s Polaroid camera that he used for work, but I did not get my first real camera until I was in college. Although I thought of pursuing photography as a career, I was told it’s “a man’s job.” At that time there were very few female photog- raphers in Dallas, Texas. Bowing to my parents’ wishes for me to be in the medical field, I got as close to pho- tography as I could and ended up taking x-rays. I went back to college at night to learn photography. Little by little I managed to work my way into the business. I assisted many wonderful male photographers and had to prove everyday that I could do what the guys did. So from the inside out I became a photographer. Eventually, I received a job offer to be a shooter at a large catalogue photo studio in Dallas. I loved fashion and shot for Neiman Marcus for 9 years in both Dallas and New York. I have owned my own business for more than 15 years and shoot fashion, food, people, and products, but food is a favorite. Shooting food is like shooting a beautiful woman: They both take lots of prep time and neither lasts very long on set. I light my food using large broad light sources for the softest lighting possible.I love the freshness of natural light on faces and on food. I often use natural light and mix it with strobe lighting for the right effect. Being fast and ready to shoot is an absolute necessity in order to be successful shooting either food or fashion. I have a wonderful family I love. My husband works with me and takes care of managing the computer and the business while I take pictures. Our lovely young daughter is graduating from college this year. I feel so lucky to have made a very successful career of something I love. I have been able to travel all over the A B O U T T H E A U T H O R S
xvi world shooting pictures. What a life! My clients include Victoria’s Secret, Abercrombie and Fitch, J.C. Penney, Smithsonian Institute, Miller Brewing Co., American Eagle Outfitters,Anheuser-Busch,Calidad Foods,Collin Street Bakery, Dominos Pizza, Epicure, Harry & David, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Sara Lee, Walt Disney Produc- tions, American Express, Dr. Pepper/Cadbury, and Williamson-Dickies. A B O U T T H E A U T H O R S
xvii Acknowledgments Jean Ann, Brad, and I want to express our gratitude to the numerous contributors who provided products and services for us during the photography production of this book. Thank you to the following corporations and indi- viduals for contributing so generously to this project: 3M Home Care Division, www.3m.com ACH Food Companies, Inc., www.karosyrup.com The Anchor Hocking Company, www.anchorhocking .com Angostura Limited, www.angostura.com BernzOmatic Inc., www.bernzOmatic.com Cardinal International, www.cardinalglass.com Central Market, owned and operated by H. E. Butts Grocery Company, www.centralmarket.com and www .hebgrocery.com Chimera, www.chimeralighting.com Collin Street Bakery of Corsicana, Texas, makers of world-famous cheesecakes and fruitcakes, www .collinstreetbakery.com The Color Wheel Co., www.colorwheelco.com Cuisinart, 1 Cummings Point Road, Stamford, CT 06902, whose products and name are used with permis- sion, www.cuisinart.com Dow Chemical Company, www.styrofoamcrafts.com East Ellum Digital, technical support and additional camera equipment, technicians; John Shipes and Neal Farris, www.eastellumdigital.com Electron Microscopy Sciences, www.emsdiasum.com Elmer’s Products, www.elmers.com Energy Brands Inc. (d/b/a/ Glacêau), www.glaceau.com EVO Media, Inc., www.evo.com Gitzo, www.gitzo.com Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc., www.hamiltonbeach.com Hasselblad USA, www.hasselbladusa.com Hearthmark LLC (d/b/a Jarden Home Brands), a Jarden Corporation company, www.freshpreserving.com
xviii Hilden Manufacturing Co. Ltd., www.hilden.co.uk Jiffy Steamer Company, LLC, www.jiffysteamer.com JRM Chemical, Inc., of Cleveland, OH, www.soilmoist .com Krylon Products Group, www.askkrylon.com Le Creuset of America, www.lecreuset.com Lynn Kelly, designer aprons, www.lynnsdesigneraprons .etsy.com Messermeister, Inc., www.messermeister.com National Presto Industries, Inc., www.gopresto.com Nik Software, Inc., www.niksoftware.com OXO International, www.oxo.com Polyvinyl Films makers of STRETCH-TITE plastic food wrap, www.pvfilms.com The Procter & Gamble Company, www.pg.com and www .quickerpickerupper.com S. C. Johnson, A Family Company, www.scjohnson.com Table Art Cloth by bamsart.com, www.bamsart.com Totally Bamboo, Inc., www.totallybamboo.com Wilton Industries, Inc., www.wilton.com X-Rite, Inc., www.x-rite.com Zak Designs, www.zak.com Zwilling J.A. Henckels, www.zwilling.com Linda Bellingham wishes to thank the following indi- viduals: Trish Dahl for her encouragement all those years ago; Dennis and Bonnie Wilson for providing comfort- able lodgings for me during photography production in Dallas. My heartfelt thanks also go to Angie Bellingham and to my sons for their encouragement and support. Jean Ann Bybee wishes to thank the following individu- als: Cynthia Hall for her support and help in this project, and Aki Shiratori for hair and makeup for my portrait. A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S
xix Preface The Big client you have been waiting to work with has just called with a project. There’s only one catch. The client needs you to photograph a “simple” food shot and he doesn’t want to spend any money on a food stylist. Bad move on his part and a major headache for you. Here are your choices: (1) Say “No” to Mr. Big because you know that a food shoot without a food stylist can be a nightmare, but by saying no you ensure that this client will not call you about future projects. (2) You can personally foot the bill for a food stylist and hope that future business from this client will make up for the expense. This decision directly impacts your wallet and offers no insurance for winning the client’s future busi- ness. (3) Do it yourself—a gutsy choice, and an all-too- common decision. Over the years, many photographers, stylists, and pho- tography students have contacted me with panic in their voices. There were two basic reasons: Either a client did not provide funds to hire a food stylist, or a test shot of a specific food was needed. To say the least, this is not a comfortable position for the photographer or for the person designated to work with the food. It is especially uncomfortable if the photographer is also the self- appointed food stylist. I have been a freelance food stylist in the commercial market for nearly 30 years. My bachelor’s degree in edu- cation and home economics as well as many years spent in restaurant and commercial kitchens led me to a career in food styling. In the world of food styling, I have done it all—several times. This book does not take work away from food stylists, but rather aids photographers and others who struggle with food styling tasks when no food stylist is available. In each chapter you will find step-by-step instructions accompanied by numerous photographs illustrating tech- niques for preparing food for photography. Also, a final photograph depicting the finished product accompanies each chapter or chapter section.This finished shot will be an invaluable reference tool as you acquaint yourself with the styling procedures for each shot. Preparing food for photography is nothing like cooking for consumption. The information in these chapters will help you gain knowledge of techniques as well as offer
xx suggestions for tools and supplies best suited for the job of food styling. Most importantly, as you transcend into the world of food styling, the techniques offered in this book will help you gain some confidence. You may discover variations for techniques presented in this book that work better for you. If so, make notations for future reference. You might find it helpful to start a food styling journal. It is my hope that this book will be a tool to help move you toward a successful food styling experience. Some of the words and phrases used in this book are industry related. We have included a glossary at the end of the book for readers unfamiliar with these terms. P R E F A C E
Food Styling for Photographers
O N E Introduction to Food Styling
2 I N T R O D U C T I O N T O F O O D S T Y L I N G During my years as a food stylist, I developed pro- fessional relationships and solid friendships with numerous other stylists, photographers, and assistants. Occasionally, photographers or assistants would ask me for advice about projects on which they were working. These projects invariably involved food they wanted to style and photograph when no funds were available for a food stylist. I offered time and assistance when possi- ble, but due to my busy food styling schedule, advice was often my only contribution. As the years went by, I noticed that these requests for advice were becoming more frequent. I eventually recognized that the ques- tions had increased for two reasons: Either the photog- rapher’s food client had no funds for a food stylist or the photographer was pursuing a food client and needed a new portfolio shot of a specific food. It is no wonder that with current budget reductions for advertising, especially for smaller projects, photographers are often being asked to provide food photography without the aid of a food stylist. As for the second reason, it can be difficult to find a stylist who has the time or interest to contribute to portfolio shots. My advice to photographers is this: Always use a food stylist when your client can pay for one. In most cases, to accomplish commercial food photography, there abso- lutely needs to be a food stylist on the production team. In reality, however, whether it’s being done for fun, for a portfolio shot, or for a small project, there are times when a photographer or non–food stylist will venture into the world of food styling. For this reason, when you want to play with—and photograph—your food, this book will help you be successful with the food styling part of the project. The techniques and styling methods given in this book are general guidelines for food styling. The topic of food styling is vast and at times can be very specific and com- plicated. It is impossible to cover everything within the confines of one book.My goal with this book is to provide photographers with a general reference source and to relieve some of the intimidation you might have about food styling. I’m going to share some knowledge that I’ve accumulated over the years and help you build confidence when working with food for photography. Even if you don’t intend to tackle food styling yourself, the fact that you are taking time to read this book will better prepare you for shooting food. You will become familiar with the techniques used by food stylists. You will have a better feel for the pace of food styling and will not be surprised at the time it takes to prep or achieve some food styling techniques. You will also be better equipped to anticipate requests from stylists for equipment and tables in your studio.
3 C H A P T E R O N E A FEW RULES FOR FOOD STYLING To begin our study of food styling, you should familiarize yourself with some of the unwritten rules of food styling. A few of these rules are obvious, but should be men- tioned nonetheless, especially if you are new to food styling. These unwritten rules became apparent to me by way of trial and error. My hope in listing these rules and guidelines is that you will be able to avoid some of the pitfalls and disasters that can occur when photographing food. As you venture into food styling, you may discover some additional guidelines to add to this list. (See the Glossary at the end of this book for definitions of terminology that may be unfamiliar to you.) if you aren’t working “in the moment.” Always follow safety guidelines for working with knives, scissors, and other sharp-edged tools—and remember that a sharp knife is less dangerous than a dull one. Rule Three: As you build a hero food item, sit or stand with your eyes at camera level whenever possible. Build the hero with the camera side toward you. In other words, your eyes are the camera. Focus on the front and sides of the food that the camera will see. Don’t pay any attention to the appearance of the back of the hero. The camera angle is all that matters when photographing food. Rule Four: Never open any container on or over the set. Instead, open containers in the prep area or on a side table away from the set. Remove food items from containers in the prep area and, when appropriate, drain any moisture from the items to prevent dripping on the set. If you are using liquids on set, cover the set with at least one layer of paper towels to contain any drips where the liquids will be poured or styled. Cleanup on a hero set is not fun and it can be a very time-consuming task. Rule One: The first rule is to never eat food that has been on set or handled as a hero. I’ve always said that it’s bad karma to eat photo food. This rule makes good sense not only because hero food is usually handled a lot, but also because it isn’t always managed in ways that keep it safe for consumption. In some instances, substances are added or applied to the food that render the food unsafe for consumption. Rule Two: Always read safety and use instructions for equipment that is being used for the first time and as a reminder to be safety conscious when using any equipment. Simple tools and tasks can become dangerous One photographer I work with told me a story about a large set consisting of numerous pieces of clear glassware that she constructed for a client. The set took hours to finalize because she had to make sure the glassware was positioned properly and was clean and dust free. One glass in the middle of the set was to be shown with champagne
4 I N T R O D U C T I O N T O F O O D S T Y L I N G in it. Before the photographer could stop him, her client popped the cork on the champagne bottle.Yes, you guessed it, right over the set. Champagne shot everywhere. The entire set had to be dismantled in order to clean the surface and the glassware. Unfortunately, the champagne incident forced them to start the project over from scratch.Needless to say, it was a very maddening experience for everyone. Rule Five: My rule for stand-ins is to provide a very loose translation of the hero. A few examples of my stand-ins are a wadded-up paper towel for ice cream and a brown grocery bag with a roll of paper towels in it for a turkey! Not only does this strategy give me more time and creative energy to focus on building the hero, but it doesn’t set a rigid mental image for the art director, photographer, or me to latch onto. There are a few exceptions to this rule and they will be mentioned in the appropriate chapters. I learned the hard way about stand-ins. During the first few years of my career, I usually made a realistic looking stand-in for the client to critique and for the creative team to look at while building the set. On one occasion the client fell in love with the stand-in and wanted the hero to be built exactly the same. By the time the set was finalized, the stand-in was well past its prime. My task of re-creating the hero to perfectly resemble the stand-in was painfully frustrating and time consuming. Rule Six: Have a plan. Be prepared. I can’t emphasize this enough: Make sure you have everything that you might need in the studio the day before the shoot. The only exception to this rule is salad greens, berries, maybe flowers, and ice if you don’t have room in your freezer to store it overnight. HAVE A PLAN The simple fact is that every shot is different. When clients make the decision to produce a selling shot, they want a shot that is unique to their product. They may choose to borrow some elements from other shots that they have seen, but their main objective is to create something new and different. Encourage clients to provide you with tear sheets (examples of previously printed work) that they like to give you an indication of what they want. Then ask them to identify elements within those tear sheets that they want included in their shot. These go-bys help you and others on the creative team by providing a starting point for the project. I have been in studios where the photographer put up a dry erase board and listed the separate elements that the client wanted in the shot. He posted the go-bys next to the board for reference. I saw how these tools helped to give the entire team direction. I’ve also witnessed times when the team decided to take a total departure from
5 C H A P T E R O N E its original idea based on some creative thinking by one or more of the team members. Sometimes departure from the original idea happens because the team members learn that what they thought they wanted just doesn’t look good to the camera. You can use the rules and tools just discussed as you begin planning your shot regardless of the size of your team. If you are working on a portfolio piece and going solo, the decision-making process is the same and requires just as much research and thought. Conduct preplanning for your project.This will help you determine direction and establish a better mental picture of your photographic image goal. Every decision you make in the planning stage will guide you. You will know what to purchase and you can mentally run a time-frame checklist for the prep required and for the day of the shoot. Similar to preparing a family dinner, the prep process for food photography is time sensitive. Some items can be prepped the day before final photogra- phy; however, the more perishable items will need to be prepped right before they are built on the hero plate. BE PREPARED In general, the food gathering, preparation, and hero process require a lot of table space, so you will need to have ample room to work. If you don’t have tabletop space available, set up tables using sawhorses and plywood sheets, or rent folding cafeteria-type tables from a party rental store before you start shopping. You’ll want to have the tabletop space available when you arrive at the studio with your food products. Also, consider the refrigeration space available in your studio. If you are planning a project with lots of perish- able or frozen ingredients, you may need to rent extra refrigerator and freezer appliances from a local rental store. You’ll want to get the appliances a day or two before you shop for the food for your project so the appli- ances will have time to come to proper storage tempera- ture. Check the appliance temperature settings. Place a thermometer inside the appliance and check the tem- perature after 24 hours to certify the appliance is holding the correct temperature. Make sure any refrigerators you plan to use for photo food are not too cold because tender items could freeze. A refrigerator should be in the 40º to 44º Fahrenheit range for photo food. Actually, I prefer 44ºF for photo food because I’ve had a few experiences with salad greens freezing when the refrigerator was full and set on 40ºF. By ordering the appliance a few days ahead of the shoot, you will be able to determine if it is working properly. That also gives you time to request the rental agency to repair or replace an item if necessary. Appliance rental businesses usually deliver and set up their appliances as well as pick them up at the end of the rental period.
6 I N T R O D U C T I O N T O F O O D S T Y L I N G you select.The boxes that hold a case of individual water bottles work great. I keep several of those boxes in my trunk.If you don’t have boxes and the grocer doesn’t have any that are a good size for your project,ask the checkout clerk for a couple of large paper bags.Lay the bags flat in your shopping cart to create the desired smooth surface. Tip 3: Be extremely picky when you select grocery items for photography. You want to purchase only the very best examples of each item you need as well as dupli- cates of each item for insurance. Foods to be cut or cooked will need more than one backup. Additionally, you may need stand-ins or extras for testing purposes. Tip 4: Purchase nonperishable items a day or two before the shoot. If possible, perishable groceries should be purchased the day of the shoot. LOOKING FOR A HERO There is a process stylists go through during the prep phase of photography that is called the hero process. The hero process is the process of looking through lots of one kind of item to find the perfect, or hero, examples of that item for your shot. This is a picky, picky process. It usually involves looking at numerous trays filled with one kind of food. Sometimes it means going to several markets to find the perfect examples of certain items. Rule Seven: Learn to shop like a stylist. The quality of the items you purchase for your shoot will directly impact the appearance of your final image. Quality and perfection of each item you purchase are the goals. If you don’t bring quality items to the studio, you won’t bring quality to the camera. For a novice, shopping for a photo shoot may sound like an easy task. You’ve shopped plenty of times, right? Well, stylists take shopping to the extreme. If you are planning to attempt your own food styling, you will be wise to brush up on some stylist’s shopping tips. SHOP WISELY Tip 1: Shop at the best groceries available. Some markets are known for specific types of groceries such as bakery, produce, or meats. Find the absolute best markets that provide the types of food you need for your shot and shop at those places. If you are fortunate to have one overall wonderful grocery market, like I did for this book, even better, because one-stop shop- ping will save you lots of time. During photography production for this book, I shopped at Central Market in Dallas, Texas, for everything. Tip 2: Take a few flat, low-sided boxes to the market to create a smooth surface that won’t mar the tender items Looking for a hero: hamburger buns contending for hero status.
7 C H A P T E R O N E
8 I N T R O D U C T I O N T O F O O D S T Y L I N G Rule Eight: Protect the hero food. Whether the hero items are on a table in the studio or in the refrigerator, freezer, etc., be sure they are identified as hero items and not for consumption. Once found, the hero items must be cared for in ways specific to each type of item to maintain hero quality until photography is completed. Let’s consider the bun on the hamburger that is featured in Chapter 6, the burgers and sandwiches chapter. The description of the bun hero process is discussed in that chapter. More than a dozen packages of hamburger buns were carefully selected and purchased to find the perfect bun for this shot. If you have a baker nearby who is willing to sell a flat of freshly baked buns, you’re fortunate. However, even that measure does not guarantee a hero. Once the buns are in the studio, each bun must be scru- tinized to see if it is hero quality.This process is the same for almost every food item that goes into photography. It’s as if the items participate in a beauty pageant to determine the winner and runner-ups.The items that win are ranked and assigned numbers to indicate their ranking. They are of high value to you at this point. Many tears have been shed over hero food that was con- sumed by studio crew members or clients before the shot was made. Because the items had not been properly marked as hero food, the crew was blissfully unaware that they were eating the star product that a stylist had care- fully shopped for and selected after looking at hundreds of examples. We can only hope they appreciated how perfect the item looked as they ate it! Rule Nine: Before you make a final capture or shoot film of your hero, double- check the set to make certain there are no visible tools, supplies, paper towels, etc., within the crop of the shot. Yes, I’ve been guilty of this. TOOLS OF THE TRADE: ASSEMBLING YOUR FOOD STYLING KIT Being prepared also means having the tools and sup- plies available that are needed to style the specific foods you are working with on each project. Just as having the right tool for the job applies to handymen, it also applies to food styling. The right tools can make short work of some tasks. And, in the world of food photography, both time and timing are crucial. Basic Kit Components For most food styling projects you will need some specific tools and supplies. You will see many of these tools in the technical working shots within this book. The basic com- ponents of your styling kit should include the following:
9 C H A P T E R O N E ● Tweezers. A pair of long-handled, bent-tip style twee- zers is a versatile and often used tool in my kit. I have more than one pair. My favorite tweezers are from Electron Microscopy Sciences (www.emsdiasum .com), Style 24, Part No. 72880-DB with a 90% bent end, and Style 24, Part No. 72880-DS, which has a straight end. ● Spatulas. I use 9-inch Wilton Comfort Grip tapered spatulas and 9-inch Wilton Comfort Grip angled spatulas, both of which have offset bends. I have at least two of each in my kit at all times. Wilton makes spatulas of different shapes and sizes, parchment paper, concentrated gel food coloring, piping gel, cake pans, cake levelers, etc. (www.wilton.com). ● Knives. I keep numerous knives in my kit. You will probably want to have a 3-inch paring knife, a 6-inch chef ’s knife, two 10-inch chef ’s knives, especially if you work with cheesecake, an 8-inch serrated knife, and a tomato knife. I use both Messermeister knives (www.messermeister.com) and Henckels knives (www .henckel.com). ● Knife sharpener or steel. There are only two important things to consider about the type of sharpener you use. The most important one is that you must be safe and comfortable using it. The other is that the sharpener must provide a really sharp edge on your knives. ● Small, sharp scissors. I use fisherman’s fly-tying scissors. ● Kitchen scissors. I use both Messermeister and Henckels. ● Brushes. You will need an assortment of artist’s brushes and pastry brushes. ● Hand tools. These include peelers, a zester, rubber spatulas, etc. I like the OXO Good Grips brand (www.oxo.com). ● Long wood skewers and toothpicks. The skewers are usually sold in bulk packages advertised for shish kebabs. I’ve seen two thicknesses of skewers on the market and both have specific advantages, so I keep both in my kit. ● Bulb-type dropper. My personal favorite type of dropper can be found at pharmacies. They are used to dispense liquid medicine to children and come in several different styles and sizes. I also like a bent-tip plastic syringe like that used by dentists. You might ask your dentist about them at your next appointment.
1 0 I N T R O D U C T I O N T O F O O D S T Y L I N G ● Spritz bottle. These can be found at beauty supply stores. The best fine-spray tips with a controlled area of spray are found on push-down type spray heads rather than trigger sprayers. I use a smaller push- down type spritz bottle for most projects. However, I also have a larger capacity trigger sprayer that is handy for keeping salad greens, floral items, etc., misted during prep. ● Small containers for liquids. Especially when you go to set, it’s nice to have small containers for liquids such as water, oil, corn syrup, and coloring agents. Empty plastic egg cartons work very well for this task because, when opened flat, the egg cups hold as many as a dozen different liquids and the top tray is perfect for brushes. They can also be recycled and used for your next styling job. ● Small and large wire cutters. I use small cutters to cut skewers, toothpicks, etc. The large ones are used less often, but occasionally come in handy. ● User-friendly plastic wrap. I have to admit that STRETCHTITE plastic food wrap made by Polyvinyl Films has been my favorite for several years. It’s easy to work with, is strong, and the packaging design keeps the end of the wrap very accessible. Equipment Often Used for Food Styling Cooking equipment that comes in handy for food styling is as follows: ● Steamer. I use a hand steamer, Esteam, manufactured by Jiffy Steamer Company (www.jiffysteamer.com). ● Trays. Plastic trays are almost indispensable to a food photo shoot. I have quite a few of them and they have numerous uses. Restaurant equipment stores often have cafeteria-type trays at a reasonable price. ● Bowls. I have a variety of nonbreakable bowls in my kit, especially patented Gemini Bowls, offered by Zak Designs (www.zak.com). Zak also makes a large variety of other items, including colanders, trays, and measuring spoons and cups. I also use glass bowls, batter bowls, and measuring cups of various sizes made by Anchor Hocking (www .anchorhocking.com). Cardinal Glass International makes some wonderful prep bowls and a large assortment of glassware and serving plates (www .cardinalglass.com). ● Mixer. Because of the wide variety of tasks it can handle, I keep a Cuisinart Quick Prep in my kit. When I’m working on a fake ice cream shot,
1 1 C H A P T E R O N E ● Clear corn syrup. I use Karo corn syrup. ● Paper towels. Where there’s a food stylist, there are usually paper towels. I use Bounty brand. ● Glass cleaner. I use Windex glass cleaner. A good rule is to clean any glass, plate, or flatware surface with glass cleaner before going to set. Cleaning a plate after it’s on set with food is not fun. ● Scrub sponges and scour pads. I like Scotch-Brite heavy- duty scrub sponges and scouring pads for cleanup and for special techniques with vegetables. SAFETY NOTE Spraying food and items that touch food with dulling spray, a clear gloss polyurethane, or paint renders food unsafe for consumption. Be certain to clearly mark all trays and containers of foods that have been sprayed as NOT EDIBLE. SAFETY NOTE Some techniques are specific to food styling and render food unsafe for consumption. Be sure to mark clearly all foods that have been scrubbed as inedible. I take along a Cuisinart DFP-14BC food processor (www.cuisinart.com). I also use a Hamilton Beach hand mixer with stand. It comes with three different beater attachments. ● For deep-fry jobs, I use my Hamilton Beach 12-Cup Oil Capacity Deep Fryer because it is very portable (www.hamiltonbeach.com). ● Griddle. I rely on my Presto Tilt’N Drain griddle (www.gopresto.com). Supplies Often Used in Food Styling You should have the following supplies handy because they are often used for food styling: ● Gelatin. Gelatin acts as a thickening agent and does not require heat to activate it. This product can be found in many cooking supply stores as well as some health food stores. You can also purchase gelatin on the internet at www.countrykitchensa .com. ● Piping gel. This type of gel is used because it has a smooth consistency and adds sheen to sauces. Wilton piping gel comes in a 10-oz tub and can be purchased at cake supply stores or purchased online at www .wilton.com. ● Clear polyurethane spray and dulling spray. I use Krylon Crystal Clear and Dulling Spray as well as Krylon paints for a variety of uses (www.askkrylon@sherwin.com).
1 2 I N T R O D U C T I O N T O F O O D S T Y L I N G ● Isopropyl alcohol. If you get a splash of liquid on plates or glassware on set, isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab or paper towel can be used to remove spots or filmy residue from plate surfaces. ● Cotton-tipped swabs. Swabs are useful for all kinds of tasks and are always on my set tray.
1 3 C H A P T E R O N E PHOTOGRAPHER’S COMMENTS—Notes on the Stylist Kit Set This shot is of the set that is used throughout the book for technical and working shots. To achieve continuity in the appearance of our technical shots, I decided to use the same lighting for all of the technical shots with exceptions only for specific products that need special lighting techniques. The white set has two Chimera lightbanks, one small key light and one medium fill. I use Chimera lightbanks to give an even, soft light to all shots. I used the same camera and lens for all shots on the technical set to maintain color and lens perspective. The white seamlessness acts as a background and also serves as a large fill card that lights the stainless steel in this shot.
T W O Sets and Settings
1 6 S E T S A N D S E T T I N G S BASICS TO CONSIDER WHEN PLANNING FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY An empty plate can be beautiful. But let’s assume you have a plan to photograph food on that plate. You’ve looked at tear sheets, thought about the food, and made some decisions. Maybe a specific food item is the driving force for your planning. You are ready to start choosing a plate, its color and pattern, the arrangement of food on the plate, and the set surface. What about a napkin, textures, colors of the set, etc.? Do you want flatware in the shot? Glassware? Flowers? Do you feel a little over- whelmed? Don’t. Asking yourself some specific ques- tions will take the guesswork out of your planning and give you a specific direction for your project. WHAT’S THE POINT OF THE SHOT? First of all, what’s the point of the shot? Is it to sell a specific food or to sell plates or flatware? Are you more interested in an artsy editorial shot? And my favorite question: Is the shot you are planning going to be used strictly as a portfolio piece? I love asking this question because I have seen so much portfolio photography that was well executed and beautiful, but the shots didn’t have a point. I have to admit that I committed this crime myself back when I was starting my career. I worked with photographers on portfolio shots and the goal was always the same: to achieve a beautiful shot. Now when I see such shots, they don’t appeal to my emotions, my intellect, or my appetite. After being in the world of food and food photography for over 30 years, I finally get it. If you are going to spend time creating a beautiful pho- tograph, make sure you can identify a focal point for the It’s someone’s birthday!
1 7 C H A P T E R T W O shot. Create a shot that will stir emotions, tell a story, make mouths water, or make the viewer wonder how in the world you did that. When you sell food via photography, the goal of the stylist and photographer is to make the viewer want to buy that food. The guidelines for photography taken expressly to sell food have changed during the past 20 years. Today’s commercial food photography shots are much tighter on the food.The mood of the shot is created by lighting and by insinuated atmosphere. Now, that’s a great term, “insinuated atmosphere.” When you look at a picture, you should get a quick read of what’s happen- ing before you have time to blink. The shot tells you a story. Are we selling this cake?
1 8 S E T S A N D S E T T I N G S Oh look, someone was having a piece of cake with their coffee and they must have gone to answer the door because the coffee looks freshly poured and that cake looks so yummy. It looks like they were just about to take the first bite. I bet they can’t wait to get back to it. What’s the focus of your shot? What story do you want to tell? When you can answer these questions, you will be able to begin deciding other issues. Keep in mind that the story of your shot should be simple. The most important thing to remember when creating an image specifically for the pop factor is to keep it simple. More elements in the shot mean more distractions for the viewer’s eyes. Less is best. TIPS FOR CHOOSING SETS AND SURFACES FOR FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY It’s time to make decisions about the set and surface for the presentation of the food. Think about the color, texture, and visual weight of the food item you’re shoot- ing. By visual weight, I mean things like density and whether the item is dark or light colored and what size it is. For instance, a pan-seared thick filet of beef is dense. It’s mainly brown with some red if it’s cut open, which makes it heavy with color. It’s not huge but it is substantial. Will it need other foods as accompaniment? It could be shown alone on a plate. However, even if you shoot close up for a tight shot, the filet might be more interesting if enhanced with other foods that have nondemanding colors and textures. To make the food you’re featuring pop in the shot, the featured food should stand out when combined with other foods. This can be achieved by lighting and color. What foods and food colors will complement your photo food? Refer to the color wheel. NOTE Refer to the chapter on desserts for details about the cake and frosting techniques used in this chapter. HOW TO MAKE FOOD POP IN THE IMAGE Having a good grasp of the focal point and the story you want to tell will help you determine the setting or atmosphere for the shot. The focal point should be quickly identified by the viewer. This is called “pop” or separation. Since we’re talking specifically about food, you want the food to visually pop in the image you will be creating. There are decisions you can make during the planning phase that will help make the food, the focal point of your shot, pop. Now we’re selling cake!
1 9 C H A P T E R T W O
2 0 S E T S A N D S E T T I N G S Here’s a quick color lesson. The three primary colors are red, blue, and yellow. The three secondary colors are purple, orange, and green. Tertiary colors result when a primary color is mixed with a secondary color. Different shades of colors are the result of mixing a color with white or black. Colors that are on the opposite side of the color wheel are called complementary. For instance, purple and yellow are complementary, as are blue and orange, and red and green. These colors contrast with each other, yet at the same time make each other more active and exciting to the eye. As a general rule, lighting, focus, and color will make the focal point of your shot pop. A combination of these three elements can be used to enhance the objectivity of your shot, both the food and the story. There are plenty of examples in this book. Each full-page image went through a creative process before the final capture was made. The photographer and I were the creative team. We used the questions I’ve mentioned in this chapter as tools to help us reach decisions about the set and setting for the food in all our images. If the set is full of lively colors, chances are the food will not be the focus. Choosing colors for the set that are pleasing to the eye but not brilliant with color is a good idea. Using different shades or tints of the same color in the set helps to ensure that the food will be the focal point. Differences in texture of items in the same color family, and lighting of the set, will create a pleasing envi- ronment for the hero food. To draw the viewer’s eye to the focal point food, keep more colorful items near your food rather than at the perimeter of the shot. All this having been said, don’t be afraid to experiment. Break the rules if you want because you may be very suc- cessful. Try using surfaces with your food that are not
2 1 C H A P T E R T W O customarily used with food. Just tell the story you want to tell and make the food pop. Table Setting Tips These are guidelines for setting a formal table. It’s good to be aware of the correct placement for table setting components even though creative license is often used to position table elements in photography.Traditionally, flatware is arranged in the order in which it will be used during the meal, building from the outside in toward the plate. As a reference tool, this image shows a full place setting with napkin, the smaller salad fork, dinner fork, knife with the blade turned toward the plate, soup
2 2 S E T S A N D S E T T I N G S spoon, and dessert fork positioned horizontally above the plate. If coffee is to be served with dessert, a coffee spoon can be placed above the top of the plate parallel with the dessert fork. The water glass is directly above the knife with a wine glass to the right of the water glass. The napkin is shown here to the left of the forks, but it can also be placed on top of the empty plate. Working Fabric on the Set If you have fabric on the set as an element in the shot either as a surface or background, you need to be armed with some knowledge about how to get it to look the way you wish. Always check the fabric content and run a test on a small piece of the fabric to make sure it can withstand the heat of a dry iron and tolerate the moisture generated by a steamer or steam iron. Start your test with a dry iron. You’ll need to determine what level of heat works best with the fabric. Then you’ll want to determine if steam or water sprayed onto the fabric leaves any marks or residue after the fabric is ironed dry. If a photography surface is to be totally covered with a fabric, for instance, a tablecloth, you will want to start out by covering the shooting surface with a layer of white felt. Felt comes in a variety of widths and can be purchased at most fabric stores. You might want to purchase several yards of the felt so you will have plenty around the studio for future projects. Using felt under fabric on a hard surface offers many advantages. It will give the hero fabric surface a softer appearance since placing a fabric over a wood surface can make the fabric look flat and hard. When felt is under the hero fabric, the fabric will accept light on the set in a warm and fuzzy way instead of being hard and unfriendly. The felt will allow you to iron or steam directly on the hero fabric on the set surface without
2 3 C H A P T E R T W O damaging the table underneath. It will also help contrib- ute to any slight ridges for textural interest should you choose to make them. But regardless of whether you choose a flat or manipulated surface, the felt will lend a richer quality to the hero fabric set covering. With the felt laid smoothly over the shooting surface, you can proceed to cover it with the hero fabric covering you’ve chosen. If the specific fabric responds well to moisture, you can spritz the fabric with water and iron it smooth on the set. This technique is especially good on fabrics with cotton and linen content. You will need an additional tabletop surface on which to lay napkins and other smaller fabric items after they’ve been ironed. Once napkins are ironed, I like to keep them flat until they are folded and placed on the set. Use a stand-in to determine the style of folding and placement of the napkin in your shot. Fabric that is used as a background in a sweep or backdrop can be steamed as it hangs in place on a hori- zontal bar on the set.
2 4 S E T S A N D S E T T I N G S If a flat fabric surface looks uninteresting to the camera, areas of interest can be created in the fabric. Visual inter- est is made by soft ridges or movement in the fabric and by the way the set lighting creates shadows around the ridges. The lighting on your set will be instrumental in making magic happen with a fabric surface. After the fabric is ironed, the first thing you do is look at the fabric from the camera to make certain the iron removed all unwanted wrinkles. To create slight movement, similar to ridges on a topographical map, place both of your clean hands flat on the fabric in the area where you want some interest in the surface. Gently press your hands closer to each other until the fabric bunches slightly. It might be necessary to put a weight or small heavy object on different areas of the fabric out of view of the camera to maintain the ridges. Look from the camera either by placing your head directly in front of the lens to view the set or by taking a capture. If you find the ridges need to be maneuvered, use the same tech- nique until you are pleased with the appearance. Depend- ing on your lighting and the angle of light that is hitting the surface, the ridges will cast a shadow. That’s what creates the interest. Smaller or less puffy ridges cast smaller shadows. Once you get comfortable with the process of creating ridges, start practicing to create mul- tidirectional ridges because they are more interesting and less distracting. Supplies used to create the full-page dish shot at the beginning of this chapter: ● Arcoroc dishes and flatware ● Cardinal International glassware ● Hilden International 100% Egyptian cotton table covering and napkins
2 5 C H A P T E R T W O PHOTOGRAPHER’S COMMENT—Notes on the Dish Set at the Beginning of This Chapter This editorial style shot of a white table setting for four with no food is a backlighting dream. I used a Chimera lightbank to give a soft white glow over the table and a medium bank on the left side to even out the light and fill the shadows. Both banks were set on very low power so the majority of the light was natural since we built the set in front of one of the windows in my studio. My point of focus was in the middle of the bowl in front, and with the low power of the strobe packs and use of ambient light, I easily got a shallow depth of field.
T H R E E Chilling Facts about Cold Beverages
2 8 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S The problem with shooting a cold beverage is that once you finalize the set and pour the cold liquid into the glass, you have to wait until frost and conden- sation forms before completing photography. Then, you have a very short window of time to capture the perfect shot. By using the techniques in this chapter you can fake the effects on the glass and have more control of the appearance of the glass as well as more time to achieve the shot! The first time you read the descriptions of these techniques, you may think that they are a lot of trouble. But if you try them, I believe you will not only appreciate the effects, but also adopt them for future use. The tech- niques described in this chapter will give you a good foundation to send you down a successful path toward achieving the look you want when photographing “cold” beverages. Let’s start with a little common sense. When you pour a chilled beverage into a glass, condensation will form on the outer surface of the glass up to the fill line, giving a frosted effect. This look is appropriate for any chilled beverage without ice. When you add the element of ice to a beverage, the condensation is enhanced and eventu- ally drops, rivers, or runs develop on the outer surface of the glass. This appearance can be appropriate for all iced beverages. Sometimes condensation is created on the inside of a glass. For example, if a hot beverage is poured into a clear glass container, visible condensation will form on the inside of the glass between the top of the liquid and the top of the glass. You can achieve this appearance with the techniques described in this chapter. Simply work the techniques on the inside of the glass. It’s a little more tedious process than when working on the outside of a glass, but it can be done. In many ways faking these effects is more forgiving than working with natural physics. The techniques in this chapter will give you a stable finish on the glass allowing you unrestricted time for adjustments to the lighting, the set, and other factors. Using techniques to fake frost and create condensation on a glass also eliminates problems on the set. If you want to use the real beverage with real ice, by all means do so. But there are many instances when using the actual beverage with real ice just won’t work. TRICKS OF THE TRADE The stand-in or non-hero glass is an extremely important tool in beverage photography. It will be the guinea pig that allows you to determine many issues, such as the fill line for the glass, the color of the hero liquid, and the timing to capture bubbles and fizz created by carbonation.
2 9 C H A P T E R T H R E E THE BEVERAGE OF CHOICE When shooting a cold beverage, you may have options available regarding the liquid in the glass. In many cases the real beverage will work fine. In fact, in some instances, the real beverage is the only choice, especially when photographing carbonated drinks, which must be freshly opened and poured right before final photog- raphy. Beer is not included in this discussion. There are many techniques that apply specifically to beer styling for photography and warrant an entire chapter- length discussion perhaps better saved for another book. set. But if it changes in any way, leaves a film, or creates a ring at the fill line, you might want to consider using a substitute. I like to use the real beverage for white wine photos.Room temperature white wine is transferred into a hero glass that has been treated with the frost technique. The wine and glass will remain hero quality all day, unless fruit flies get into it. They can be removed with tweezers. Red wines, normally served at room temperature, don’t require glass treatments. However, they may require testing before they are photographed because some red wines are opaque. If you want to capture light through a red wine, it’s often necessary to water down the real thing.This maintains the correct color family of the wine but also gives enough transparency for light to bounce through the liquid. Milk and cream often pick up a slightly blue color to the camera. My milk of choice is either half-and-half or Elmer’s Glue-All. Most often the glue works best at full strength right out of the bottle. FROSTED GLASS PREPARATION TECHNIQUES This technique uses dulling spray to achieve the frosted appearance on a glass. The frosted look indicates to the viewer that a chilled liquid is in the glass. Dulling spray TRICKS OF THE TRADE I prefer using canned carbonated beverages when possible. Open a new can each time you fill a hero glass. Use a large-mouthed funnel to pour the carbonated beverage directly from the can into the glass on set. Cover the area of the set around the pour with a couple layers of paper towels before starting to pour. If you are uncertain about your choice of whether to use a real versus a substitute liquid, run some tests. Put the actual liquid in a stand-in glass and let it remain there undisturbed for an hour or two at room temperature. If the liquid appearance has not changed after that length of time, you can be fairly comfortable using it on
3 0 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S is normally used to remove shine or gloss from a surface but in this technique, it creates a foglike layer on the glass. One of the advantages of using dulling spray is that it can be easily washed off the glass with soap and water when you are finished with the project or if you need to re-apply the spray. Prep the glass a day or two before shoot day. This will allow you more time on the actual day of photography to attend to other issues on the set. Just remember to store the treated glasses in a dust- and moisture-free environ- ment, such as in a cabinet or under a cover of some type. I often use a large clear glass bowl and invert it over the treated glass. That way, others in the studio can see that there’s something under the bowl. It is also a good idea to put a sizable warning note on the cover over the glass or near the glass so no one touches it regardless of where the glass is stored. Use the stand-in glass on set to determine the fill line in the glass. Once the level is determined, turn your atten- tion to the hero glass. Clean the hero glass inside and outside using soap and water. Dry the glass with a paper towel. Next, clean both inside and outside of the glass with glass cleaner. From this point forward, avoid touch- ing the glass directly with your hands. Refer to tech- niques for moving the glass during prep and to the set in a separate section in this chapter.
3 1 C H A P T E R T H R E E To protect the part of the glass that is not going to be treated, run a strip of matte tape, masking tape, or painter’s tape around the top edge of the glass so that the bottom of the tape is at the approximated fill line. Assuming the glass will be standing upright on your set,be cautious to keep the tape in a horizontal line parallel to the top of the glass. If needed,use a level to make sure the tape is horizontal.Once the tape is in position, firmly press it to the glass surface. towel to cover the foot of the glass and tape it in place. Once this is completed, you’re ready for dulling spray. To maneuver the glass during the prep process, push a clean, dry paper towel inside the glass, creating an open pocket that you can put your hand, or at least a few fingers,into.By spreading your fingers out so they contact the glass through the paper towel, you can maneuver the glass. Depending on the shape of the glass, you may actu- ally be able to pick up the glass. This method will help TRICKS OF THE TRADE Leave a 2-inch length of tape sticking out at the end of the tape after you wrap it around the glass. Fold the 2-inch tape back onto itself to create a 1-inch tab. This tab will allow for easy removal after all treatments on the glass are completed. If any of the glass is exposed between the top of the glass and the tape you just positioned, you will need to cover that exposed part with tape also so that, when you’re done taping, none of the glass above the fill line is exposed. When using a glass that has a stem or foot, you’ll want to protect those areas also because those areas don’t normally frost.To do that, run a piece of tape around the top of the stem just under the bottom of the glass, leaving a tab on the tape for easy removal. Wrap the stem of the glass with a paper towel and secure the paper towel to the band of tape with a small piece of tape. The paper towel doesn’t need to be tight because its only purpose is to keep any spray from hitting the stem. Use another piece of paper
3 2 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S you avoid getting any fingerprints on the glass. Before using this technique for the first time, practice on a non- hero glass to gain confidence. Set the glass in the center of the spray booth. You might want to cover the top of the glass with a sturdy piece of heavy paper or cardboard to ensure that no spray enters the glass. Push the paper towel far enough inside the glass to allow the cardboard to sit flat on the top of the glass. Shake the can of dulling spray before beginning to spray and every minute or so during use. Holding the dulling spray can about 12 inches from the glass, spray the side of the glass facing you with a single light coat using a hori- zontal movement beginning and ending your spray strokes a couple of inches on either side of the glass.Turn the glass 180 degrees and repeat the spray process until the entire glass is sprayed. Be sure to replace the cardboard on top of the glass until you are finished spraying. I usually apply two light coats of dulling spray to the glass to avoid any runs. The spray washes away easily if you need to start over, but you will have to replace the tape. This will complete the frosting effect. If the frosting effect is your final goal, you can remove the tape when the dulling spray is dry. Avoid touching the frosted area of the glass. If your final goal includes condensation, don’t remove the tape at this time and leave the glass in the paper bag booth where it will reside for the remainder of your prep work. TRICKS OF THE TRADE The easiest way to make a temporary spray booth for small items is to use a brown paper grocery bag. Tear out one side of the bag, leaving the bottom and other three sides intact. The bag will sit or lay flat on a work surface to give you a three-sided “booth” with a floor. Spray in a well-ventilated area or outside.
3 3 C H A P T E R T H R E E Supplies used to complete the frosted effect for the white wine shot: ● One hero glass and one stand-in glass ● Windex glass cleaner ● Bounty paper towels ● Krylon dulling spray ● One large standard brown paper grocery bag ● 4-in. × 5-in. piece of heavy paper or poster board ● Small level ● White wine ● 3/4-in.-wide black matte tape found at art supply stores or masking or painter’s tape CREATING CONDENSATION My favorite technique to mimic condensation involves corn syrup rather than glycerin, which some stylists prefer. However, I use corn syrup mainly because I have developed a certain comfort level with it. One advan- tage with using corn syrup is that the water in the mixture evaporates overnight and the corn syrup will harden, leaving a semipermanent treatment. In fact, if you handle the glass carefully and avoid getting the PHOTOGRAPHER’S COMMENT—Notes on the White Wine Set I used a mixture of backlighting and strobe on this shot. The backlighting gives the curves and shape of the glass without reflections in the glass. I used a small Chimera lightbank on very low power to light the front of the set. The backlight also glows through the wine and frosted glass. No fill cards were used because they might create unwanted reflections. The lens and Hasselblad 39MS were set to capture the ambient light. A sheer beige material was taped over the window to soften the outside light and give a warm glow to the set.
3 4 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S outside of it wet, you can reuse the same glass several times. It’s even possible to handle the outside of the glass with clean, dry hands once it’s completely dry. down spray top. It can be purchased from a beauty supply store for less than $2. You’ll need a bottle with a nozzle that sprays a mist rather than a stream. Because straight corn syrup is too thick to spray with this type of bottle, you will need to thin it slightly with just enough water to allow it to be sprayed. I use very warm tap water because it seems to mix with the corn syrup faster. There’s no magic formula to follow because the TRICKS OF THE TRADE If you are working on an iced beverage shot, begin your glass prep by using the frosted glass preparation technique just described. Most of the frost will disappear later when the glass is sprayed with the corn syrup mixture; however, the frosting technique lays a foundation on the glass, helping the corn syrup drops be more stable. One photographer I work with had a glass I treated this way and he was able to reuse the same glass over a one- year period. He told me how he stored the glass between uses during the year. He kept a white card over the top of the glass, which prevented dust from gathering inside, and he placed the glass in a cupboard to avoid dust on the outside. Just remember that the finish on the glass is water soluble! You will find it helpful to read through this entire pro- cedure before beginning the application of condensation and drips. This effect is achieved by using a small spray bottle filled with a mixture of clear corn syrup and water. My favorite spray bottle is a 2-oz bottle with a push-
3 5 C H A P T E R T H R E E mix of corn syrup to water depends on the particular sprayer you use. However, the mixture is approximately three parts clear corn syrup to one part warm water. You’ll want to practice spraying the mixture onto a piece of cardboard or a non-hero glass. It may take a couple sprays in one area before drops form. If your mixture is spraying out of the bottle in a solid stream you may still get a good effect when the liquid forms into drops on the glass. However, if it’s too disconcerting or not working as you wish, thin the mixture with a tiny bit more water. When you are ready to spray the hero glass, put the heavy paper or cardboard on the top of the glass as described in the frosted glass technique. Spray from a distance of 8 to 10 inches using a vertical stroke this time, moving from top to bottom of the glass. Less spray is better at first until you see how the drops accumulate on the glass. Some of the drops will combine to make larger drops and drips within a minute of spraying, so allow a little time for the mixture to move before you continue to spray the glass. Carefully turn the glass to achieve spray coverage on all exposed surfaces of the glass. Once you’re satisfied with the drop effects, let the spray on the glass settle for one hour. You will definitely need to remove the glass from the brown bag booth after one hour to prevent the bag from sticking to the glass due to the stickiness of the corn syrup. Move the glass to a safe predetermined place. A prep surface or small acrylic cutting board works well for this purpose. Once the glass treatments are completed, the next step is to remove the black tape. Again, using the fingers of one hand inside the paper towel within the glass to keep it steady, carefully remove the tape by pulling the tabs you made when you applied the tape. If applicable, also remove any tape and paper towels from the foot or stem. Look at the glass from all sides to determine camera front. Finally, remove the paper towel from inside the glass. If time permits, I allow the treated glass to dry overnight before final photography. Supplies needed to complete a glass with condensation effects: ● One hero glass treated with frosting effects ● Karo corn syrup, clear ● Cotton-tipped swabs ● Small spritz spray bottle ● Windex glass cleaner
3 6 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S The technique for moving the glass at this stage of the process is a little different than during the prep phase. You are now working with a hero glass. Use this tech- nique to move the glass from this point forward. Make sure your hands are very clean and dry. Lay one hand flat over the top of the glass, and tip the glass back enough to allow you to slip a couple of fingertips from your other hand under the bottom of the glass. Lift the glass and transport it to a predetermined location. Rest the back edge of the glass on the surface. Slide your fingers out from the bottom of the glass using your hand that is flat on the top of the glass to leverage the glass to prevent it from falling over. Tip the glass upright to rest in the safety of a predetermined location until it is needed on the set. This same technique should be used to transport the glass to set. TRICKS OF THE TRADE Don’t panic if you find any smudges or overspray in the top section of the glass that was under the tape or on the stem and foot of the glass. You can do any necessary touch-up spot cleaning with a cotton-tipped swab that has been dipped in glass cleaner—but make sure it’s not wet enough to drip! I usually squeeze the cotton swab between my fingers to remove any excess glass cleaner before touching it to the hero glass. BUILDING ACRYLIC CUBES IN A GLASS We now take a look at arranging acrylic ice cubes in the hero glass. The process discussed next assumes you are also using fruit in the glass with the ice cubes; however, the technique is the same when using only acrylic ice cubes. Refer to the chapter on garnishes for information about making citrus wheels and slices. The beauty of using acrylic ice cubes is that they will not move when liquid is added to the glass. If there are fruit slices or wheels styled within the glass, the acrylic ice can be styled to hold the fruit in place. These same guidelines can be used to arrange real ice in a glass. However, be
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3 8 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S aware that real ice will float and move within the glass when liquid is added. If you’ve used real ice and fruit wheels, that means everything will move and continue to move until the ice has melted. You will need to be prepared to work fast! A long wooden skewer is a useful tool when building acrylic ice cubes and fruit within the hero glass. Begin with one or two cubes in the bottom of the glass. Then place the first lemon wheel flat against the inside of the glass so it also rests on the bottom of the glass. As you build the inside of the glass with cubes and fruit, arrange the components at different alignments. Tilt some cubes on their sides and place fruit at different heights within the glass. The fruit slices will show best if they are flat against the inside of the glass. Place the side of the fruit slice showing the color of the rind so it will be visible to the camera. The finished drink will be more attractive visually if you position the top ice cube at an angle so one corner of the cube slightly breaks through the surface of the liquid. Use the line created by the tape and dulling spray to determine how high to build the cubes. On Set Once the glass is on set, you need to see how the light- ing interacts with the acrylic ice cubes. Light tends to bounce into and out of acrylic cubes and can cause some undesired effects. Adjustments can be made to the angle of any offending cubes. When you make changes to acrylic cube positions, use a wooden skewer to nudge the cubes. Be aware that small moves make a big dif- ference in the way light comes through acrylic cubes. If a cube near the bottom of the glass needs to be adjusted, you may be able to nudge it enough to eliminate the light problem. However, it might be necessary to remove
3 9 C H A P T E R T H R E E a couple of cubes from the glass in order to adjust the offender. Once the cubes are positioned within the glass, check the condensation drops on the glass exterior to determine if additional drops are needed. It is often easier to make this determination after the hero liquid is in the glass. Regard- less of when you apply this technique,use a syringe or small eyedropper to place nondiluted clear corn syrup in very small amounts to achieve drops or runs where desired. ADDING LIQUID TO THE HERO GLASS Now we are ready to add the liquid. My favorite pitcher for pouring liquids on set is actually an inexpensive plastic garden watering can with an extra long spout designed to water houseplants.
4 0 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S Transfer the hero liquid into the pouring pitcher and go to the set. Have a few paper towels at hand. Position yourself so your eyes are at camera level or, better yet, ask someone for assistance to look from the camera while you pour to tell you when the liquid level is even with the fill line. Position the pouring spout near the center of the glass, but to avoid splashing do not aim directly at an ice cube. Pour in a slow stream to keep the liquid flowing in an even manner, avoiding any splashing and/or dripping. Pour the level of liquid in the hero glass up to the frost fill line made during the frosting and condensa- tion processes. For extra insurance against any drips, hold a folded paper towel under the pouring spout after you pour to protect from drips as the spout moves away from the glass. TRICKS OF THE TRADE Until you actually use a pitcher, you won’t know how it will pour. Test the pitcher you plan to use before you go to set. You’ll want to make certain it doesn’t drip and that it allows for a controlled pour. You also need to practice pouring with it a few times to get a grasp on how quickly you can start and stop a pour, and to determine that you can pour from the pitcher without splashing. TRICKS OF THE TRADE To protect the set surface during the pour, lay a double layer of paper towels around the area of the hero glass. After the pour is finished remove the towels by lifting them so as not to disturb the set. MAKING AND PLACING BUBBLES Immediately after they’ve been poured into a glass, many beverages naturally have bubbles on the surface of the liquid. The appearance of bubbles gives a freshly poured and a more interesting appearance. Bubbles on
4 1 C H A P T E R T H R E E the surface of a photo drink can be made by using some of the hero liquid plus a clear liquid dish or hand detergent. Using clear dish detergent to make the bubbles will keep the bubbles looking more natural. To make and place bubbles, use a plastic dropper. Put about 1/4 cup of the hero liquid into a mug or cup, and mix 1 tablespoon of clear liquid dish detergent into it. With the tube end of the dropper in the liquid, quickly squeeze and release the dropper bulb several times. Keep squeezing the dropper bulb until you see several bubbles the size that you want floating in the cup. When everything on set is ready for final capture,working at the set and using the dropper, suction a few bubbles into the dropper. Choose bubbles that are the size you want floating on the hero beverage. Wipe the outside of the dropper with a paper towel before depositing the bubbles on the beverage surface. There isn’t a magic formula for how long the bubbles will last. Some hang around for a long time, some are short lived. You will need to watch them during the photography process. If bubbles burst, they can be replaced. Supplies used to make surface bubbles: ● Clear liquid dish or hand detergent and water ● Plastic bulb-type dropper ● Cup or mug ● 1/4 cup of the hero liquid The image of ice tea on a sunny table was created using all the techniques in this chapter. Both the pitcher and glass contain acrylic cubes of different sizes and shapes. The glass was treated with frosting and condensation
4 2 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S techniques, and additional drops and drips were added to the glass exterior using a syringe filled with clear corn syrup. Bubbles were floated on the liquid surface. The liquid used in both the glass and pitcher is actually a mixture of water and brewed coffee. You can use real tea; however, I have experienced occasions when it looked a little cloudy to the camera. Supplies used to complete the iced tea shot: ● One hero glass treated with frosting effect and con- densation treatment ● One stand-in glass ● Cardinal International pitcher and glass ● One small artist’s brush ● Cotton-tipped swabs ● Acrylic ice cubes and shards ● Long wooden skewer ● Plastic bulb-type dropper ● Plastic bent-tip syringe ● Pouring pitcher or small garden watering can ● Brewed coffee and water ● Windex glass cleaner ● Karo corn syrup, clear ● Bounty paper towels ● Six lemons, for lemon wheels (refer to chapter on garnishes, Chapter 12) REMOVING LIQUID FROM A HERO GLASS There are several ways to remove liquid from a hero glass. Of course, you can always just pour the liquid out of the glass, but this will likely endanger the exterior of the glass and will not permit any future use of the glass. If you want to preserve the techniques on the glass exterior, here are two methods I prefer to remove liquids from a hero glass. I have a large syringe that was purchased at a ranch and veterinary supply store. (Basting syringes are similar in size and will serve the same purpose.) You can remove the needle for this technique, if you wish. The syringe is narrow enough to fit into most glasses. It normally takes several fillings of the syringe to empty most glasses but this is a perfect nondrip method for liquid removal. Another method is to create a siphon. This method is especially useful for pitchers and containers that hold a lot of liquid. I use a length of clear flexible plastic tubing 1/4 inch in diameter and 18 to 24 inches long. Siphon the liquid into a different container.
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4 4 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S When all liquid has been removed from the hero glasses and/or containers, remove the acrylic cubes from the glass. Carefully insert a paper towel into the glass. The paper towel will absorb any liquid remaining in the glass and will create a means for you to move the glass as you did in the earlier treatment procedures. Supplies used to create the full-page image of red bever- ages opening this chapter: ● Glasses treated with frost and condensation techniques ● Cardinal International Islande 12-oz acrylic ice cubes and shards ● Red liquid (I used pomegranate juice as a base and added water and liquid red food coloring) ● Karo corn syrup, clear SAFETY NOTE Make certain the hero liquid is nontoxic before using the siphon method! PHOTOGRAPHER’S COMMENT—Notes on the Iced Tea Set Let the sun shine in! For a fresh glass of tea we are in the window this time. We set this shot up a few days before the day of the shoot to know exactly what time of day would be perfect—in this case, 4:15 p.m. I balanced strobe and natural light with a medium Chimera lightbank and small lightbank for an overall brightness to balance the stream of natural light coming through the window. We opened the window to prevent any reflections and let the wind blow.
4 5 C H A P T E R T H R E E PHOTOGRAPHER’S COMMENT—Notes on the Chapter- Opening Shot with Glasses Containing Red Beverage Not a sunny day? No problem! I use a Chimera Lantern lightbank at the back of the set. This little beauty works like a soft sun, a little ball of light. It evens out the background and wraps light around the edges of the glasses. A soft fill with a medium lightbank at camera does the trick. Once again no need for reflectors or fill cards. Pulling focus with my Hasselblad H3D makes the front glass the hero.
4 6 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S SLUSHY DRINKS: THE MAGIC FROZEN MARGARITA Pour four cups of Glacéau Vitaminwater Tropical Citrus sport drink into a large clear glass container. Your task is to closely match the color to the margarita mix. I usually remove the label from the margarita mix bottle for a better visual of the color.The sport drink will need a little green coloring added to it. With a toothpick or skewer tip, pick up just a touch, not even a drop, of liquid green food coloring and stir it into the sport drink. A little green food coloring makes big changes, so go slow. To better match the margarita mix, I chose to add a hint of SAFETY NOTE This method of creating a slushy drink is for photography purposes only. The mixture is not for consumption! I remember years ago renting a margarita machine for a photo shoot.It took a couple hours for the machine to chill the mix to the perfect slushy consistency.Both the photog- rapher and I had to be completely ready for the hero. He had to have the lighting perfected and I had to have numer- ous glasses prepped because the photo life of the slushy mixture was less than 2 minutes, even though the building air conditioner had chilled the room to a point where the crew members were all wearing sweaters! With new technology a very realistic fake slushy frozen margarita can be made for the camera. With the right supplies and tools the process is quick and simple and produces great results. The photo life of the hero mixture will be about five times longer than that of a frozen mix. TRICKS OF THE TRADE Use the margarita mix you purchased for color matching only. The high acid and sugar content of some margarita mixes interferes with the Soil Moist granules’ absorbent qualities. For these same reasons you’ll want to avoid using sport drinks that have a higher acid or sugar content.
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4 8 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S blue to the mixture in our shot. Your mixture may appear clearer than the margarita mix at this point, but don’t worry about that because the next steps will correct the appearance. For now, just match the color to the mar- garita mix. Once you are content with the color, transfer about one- half of the liquid into a large glass mixing bowl. Reserve the remaining liquid for later use. Stir four level tea- spoons of Soil Moist granules into the mixture in the glass bowl. Let the mixture set for 10 minutes. Surprise! It’s grown and looks icy. Remove a few cups of the mixture to a blending beaker or bowl with tall sides. Using the blender or a Cuisinart Quick Prep mixer, blend the liquid for a few seconds. If the mixture becomes too thick, add a little of the reserved mix without granules and blend again. Keep blending until the gel granules are small and appear like slush.
4 9 C H A P T E R T H R E E Before applying any treatments to the hero glasses,remem- ber to clean them with soap and water. Dry the glasses with clean paper towels. Next, clean the glasses both inside and outside with glass cleaner and dry with clean paper towels. Make certain your hands are clean and thoroughly dry before handling the glasses. To salt the rims of the hero glasses, separate the yolk from the white of one egg. Put the egg white into a small glass bowl with about 1 tablespoon of cool water. Mix the egg white and water thoroughly with a whisk. Pour the mixture into a plate. On another plate, put a level layer of margarita or gourmet salt about 1/8th to 3/16th inch thick. Use a spatula to level the salt. Holding one glass upside-down, dip one edge of the glass into the egg white mixture and rotate the glass in a circular motion to coat all edges. TRICKS OF THE TRADE If you put the glass flat into the egg white mixture, the pressure created within the glass will force the egg whites unevenly inside the glass. To avoid this, angle the glass to rotate through the egg whites while one edge of the glass is above the liquid. When the glass rim is coated with the egg mixture, con- tinue holding it upside-down. Remove any drips with a cotton swab. Dip the glass into the salt mixture using the same rotating circular motion. Gently push the edge of the glass through the salt but avoid pushing the glass down too hard because it will mash salt away from the edge of the glass rim. Place the glass right-side up on a clean surface. Level the salt in the plate with the spatula before dipping the next glass. Repeat the process for all hero glasses. Going to Set with the Margaritas We used some of the original margarita mix in our stand-in glasses to help compose this shot. When the
5 0 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S arrangement of glasses on your set is comfy to the eye and to the camera, you can replace the stand-ins with hero salt-rimmed glasses. Working with one glass at a time, block a stand-in glass on three sides to mark its position. Lift the stand-in glass straight up and off the set. With very clean hands being careful not to touch the salt, place the hero glass within the blocks marking the spot for the glass. Repeat this process for each glass in your shot. When you transfer the margarita mixture into the hero glass, again take care not to touch the salt rim with your hands, tools, or with the margarita mixture. When all the glasses are filled, use a wooden skewer to break up any undesirable bubbles or areas of light refraction. Use a spoon to add additional margarita mix to mound up for a realistic presentation. With the back of the spoon, gently press the mix to create swirl or textural patterns as you wish. Before final photography, use a bulb or
5 1 C H A P T E R T H R E E syringe dispenser to add some of the reserved liquid to the top surface of the drink to give it a slushy, just-made look. SAFETY NOTE I know this photo beverage looks tempting, but do not drink this margarita! Supplies used to complete the margarita shot: ● Cuisinart Quick Prep CSB-77 and mixing beaker ● One bottle margarita mix (for color reference only) ● Hero glasses treated with frosted effect, Anchor Hocking 13-oz Martinique stand-in glasses ● Sport drink (I use Glacéau Vitaminwater. Buy extra for the crew to drink. It’s really good!) ● Soil Moist granules ● Two Anchor Hocking 2-quart clear glass batter bowls ● Clear Anchor Hocking 8-oz three-way pour glass measuring cup ● Zak Designs measuring spoon and mixing spoon ● Two small Cardinal Glass glass bowls ● Small OXO Good Grips whisk ● Windex glass cleaner ● Bounty paper towels ● Two Arcoroc dessert-size plates ● Wilton Comfort Grip 9-inch angled spatula ● Liquid food coloring kit ● Long wooden skewer ● Plastic bulb-type dropper ● One egg white ● Gourmet coarse salt ● Cotton-tipped swabs ● Hand-painted surface by Brad G. Rogers
5 2 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S PHOTOGRAPHER’S COMMENT—Notes on Margarita Set If you don’t have a window in your studio . . . get one! Or, open your door, shoot in your house, or go on location for drink or liquid shots. You can’t control the weather but it really doesn’t take much daylight to get the effect. I have warm-colored walls in my shooting area around my windows. This warms the entire set. Again, I have used a small Chimera lightbank for fill, high and to the side. No fill cards were used because they can cause reflections in the glass. The Hasselblad H3D with telephoto lens is the perfect choice for this kind of shot.
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F O U R Making a Salad for the Camera
5 6 M A K I N G A S A L A D F O R T H E C A M E R A For the stylist and photographer, shooting a salad is literally a creation of art. In a well-built, well-lit salad the vibrant colors, textures, and dimension are a feast for the eyes. Your eyes are taken on a voyage through the image’s beautiful landscape. SELECTION OF SALAD INGREDIENTS When you shop at the produce market for photograph quality salad ingredients, purchase a wide variety of items so you will have them available in the studio when you build the hero salad. Without ingredients that have color and texture differences, the salad will appear monotonous and boring. So, choosing ingredients is extremely important. Think of color wheel opposites and complementary colors as you select vegetable and other salad ingredients. Have a larger variety of ingredients in the studio than you expect to use. Prep and hero all items before you begin to build the salad. As you compose the salad, you will appreciate having a large color palate of ingredients from which to choose. Red onion slices with purple tones, and bell peppers in yellows, reds, and oranges are good examples of items that contrast with salad greens both in texture and color. Tomatoes, pomegranate seeds, herbs, and spices offer color and textural interest. Carrots and mandarin oranges have a lot of potential for shape and lend wonderful orange tones; something as simple as adding an orange element can visually pull the salad together. Don’t forget items like sliced beets, pickled vegetables, canned mandarin orange segments, and croutons that are found on shelves at the market. Be sure to check the deli department too, because there may be some great ingre- dients to be found there that won’t require prep work. Gourmet baby greens add color and textural interest to a salad. The tight growth pattern of baby greens will create a bunch of color and texture in a small space, and they mix well with other types of lettuce for a photo salad base. Also, consider using the cooking methods discussed in the chapter on vegetables (Chapter 8) for some of your salad ingredients. Refer to Chapter 12 on garnishing for more ideas about cutting produce for a salad. NOTE Techniques used for creating pasta, potato, and vegetable salads for the camera are more similar to the methods used for pasta and sauces than to those used for making green salads. Refer to the chapter on pasta (Chapter 5) for those techniques. SHOPPING AND HANDLING TECHNIQUES FOR PRODUCE Whether you’re making a salad with greens or fruit, quality and freshness are essential. If you have worked
5 7 C H A P T E R F O U R
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Food-Styling-for-Photographers.pdf

  • 1.
  • 2. Food Styling for Photographers A Guide to Creating Your Own Appetizing Art LINDA BELLINGHAM JEAN ANN BYBEE WITH BRAD G. ROGERS AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON NEW YORK • OXFORD • PARIS • SAN DIEGO SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier
  • 3. Publisher: Marie Hooper Acquisitions Editor: Cara Anderson Publishing Services Manager: George Morrison Senior Project Manager: Dawnmarie Simpson Associate Acquisitions Editor: Asma Palmerio Assistant Editor: Katy Stencer Marketing Manager: Christine Degon Veroulis Interior Design: Joanne Blank Cover Design: Eric DeCicco Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier 30 Corporate Drive, Suite 400, Burlington, MA 01803, USA Linacre House, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8DP, UK Copyright © 2008 Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier’s Science & Technology Rights Department in Oxford, UK: phone: (+44) 1865 843830, fax: (+44) 1865 853333, E-mail: permissions@elsevier.com. You may also complete your request online via the Elsevier homepage (http://elsevier.com), by selecting “Support & Contact” then “Copyright and Permission” and then “Obtaining Permissions.” Recognizing the importance of preserving what has been written, Elsevier prints its books on acid-free paper whenever possible. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Bellingham, Linda. Food styling for photographers : a guide to creating your own appetizing art / Linda Bellingham, Jean Ann Bybee. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN-13: 978-0-240-81006-5 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Photography of food. 2. Photography—Miscellanea. 3. Food presentation. I. Bybee, Jean Ann. II. Title. TR656.5.B44 2008 778′.96413—dc22 2007044859 British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN: 978-0-240-81006-5 For information on all Focal Press publications visit our website at www.books.elsevier.com 08 09 10 11 5 4 3 2 1 Printed in China. Working together to grow libraries in developing countries www.elsevier.com | www.bookaid.org | www.sabre.org
  • 4. Dedication To my sons, Scott and Ben, my sources of inspiration Linda Bellingham To my wonderful daughter, Audrey Jean Ann Bybee
  • 6. Disclaimer The contents of this book and techniques described herein are intended solely for the purpose of preparing food for photography and are not intended for nor should they be used as methods of preparing foods for consumption.
  • 8. vii Contents Disclaimer v About the Authors xiii Acknowledgments xvii Preface xix Chapter  Introduction to Food Styling 1 A Few Rules for Food Styling: 3 Have a Plan 4 Be Prepared 5 Shop Wisely 6 Looking for a Hero 6 Tools of the Trade: Assembling Your Food Styling Kit 8 Basic Kit Components 8 Equipment Often Used for Food Styling 10 Supplies Often Used in Food Styling 11 Chapter  Sets and Settings 15 Basics to Consider When Planning Food Photography 16 What’s the Point of the Shot? 16 How to Make Food Pop in the Image 18 Tips for Choosing Sets and Surfaces for Food Photography 18 Table Setting Tips 21 Working Fabric on the Set 22
  • 9. C O N T E N T S viii Chapter  Chilling Facts about Cold Beverages 27 The Beverage of Choice 29 Frosted Glass Preparation Techniques 29 Creating Condensation 33 Building Acrylic Cubes in a Glass 36 On Set 38 Adding Liquid to the Hero Glass 39 Making and Placing Bubbles 40 Removing Liquid from a Hero Glass 42 Slushy Drinks: The Magic Frozen Margarita 46 Going to Set with the Margaritas 49 Chapter  Making a Salad for the Camera 55 Selection of Salad Ingredients 56 Shopping and Handling Techniques for Produce 56 Tips for Keeping Salad Greens Fresh 58 Salad Support Techniques 60 How to Dress a Salad for Photography 61 Building the Salad and Taking It to Set 62 On Set before Final Photography 63 Fruit Salads 65 Techniques for Fruit Prep 65 Building a Fruit Salad and Taking It to Set 68 Dressing a Fruit Salad 69
  • 10. C O N T E N T S ix Chapter  Pasta and Sauces 73 Perfect Pasta for the Camera 74 Sauces for Pasta and Vegetable Salads 76 Food Additions to the Pasta 77 Building the Pasta 77 Adding a Spoon or Other Flatware That Will Hold Food 80 Potato, Pasta, and Vegetable Salads 82 Chapter  Burgers, Sandwiches, and Beyond 87 The Hamburger 88 Finding the Perfect Hamburger Bun 88 Prepping Burger Components 92 Prepping Burger Patties 93 Adding Color to the Burger Patties 95 Building the Hero Burger 95 On Set with the Hero Burger 100 The Whole Sandwich 102 Shopping for Sandwich Elements 102 Prepping Sandwich Ingredients 102 Building the Hero Whole Sandwich 105 On Set with a Whole Sandwich 106 Building a Half or Cut Sandwich for Photography 108 Chapter  Meeting Meat Head-On 115 Basic 101 for Photo Meat 116 Griddle Method of Cooking Meat for Photography 117
  • 11. C O N T E N T S x Grill Marks 119 Slicing Hero Meat—Exposing the Interior 120 Color for Photo Meat 121 Building Slices on the Hero Plate 123 Braising Method for Thicker Cuts of Meat 125 Styling Meat with Bones for the Camera 129 Ribs 129 Roasting Poultry for the Camera 134 Shopping for Hero Poultry 134 Turkeys for Photography 134 Prepping the Bird 135 Making the Bird a Hero 138 Here Fishy, Fishy: Fish Are Different Critters 143 Cooking Fish for the Camera 144 Chapter  Veggie Perfect 149 Shopping for Vegetables 150 Prepping Vegetables for Photography 151 Methods of Cooking Vegetables for Photography 154 Steaming 155 Blanching 156 Cooking Vegetables on a Griddle 160 Baking Vegetables 162 Making Grill Marks on Vegetables 163 Veggies on Set 164
  • 12. C O N T E N T S xi Chapter  Ice Cream for Hot Lights 167 The Real Deal 168 A Great Fake 168 Building Cones on Set 172 Final Touches to the Fake Ice Cream on Set 175 A Bowl of Ice Cream 180 Chapter  Desserts 185 Whole Cakes 186 Showing a Cut Cake to the Camera 187 Building the Cake 191 Building a Hero Slice of Cake 192 Frosting the Cake and Slice 194 Cheesecakes Are Different! 198 Having Visual Fun with Cookies: Techniques for Building Stacks 204 Breaking Cookies 207 Chapter  Breakfast for the Camera 209 Making Bacon for the Camera 210 Beautiful Biscuits 211 Scrambled Eggs 212 Building the Hero Plate 213 On Set 214 A South-of-the-Border Version of Sunny-Side-Up 216 Making Eggs Sunny-Side-Up 216 Building the Hero Huevos Rancheros Plate 217
  • 13. C O N T E N T S xii Chapter  Garnishing Basics 221 Garnishing Guidelines 222 Citrus Garnishing Ideas 222 Be Picky with Herb Garnishes 225 A Dandelion Is on My Plate! 227 Use Ice Water to Make Curls 228 Tame and Revive Strawberry and Tomato Tops 230 Sauce a Plate 230 Don’t Forget Frying 231 Appendix 233 Glossary 237 Index 241
  • 14. xiii About the Authors LINDA BELLINGHAM Ever since I was young, I have been interested in the production of good-tasting and eye-tantalizing food. My first memory of working with food takes me back to the age of five when I snuck one of my mom’s sauce- pans out into the fall garden. After coercing my dad to make a small fire in his camp stove, I proceeded to select fresh vegetables from the garden, then sliced and diced them to make my first ratatouille. A number of instructors in both high school and college encouraged me to be creative artistically and to continue down the food path. Actually my journey to the present reminds me of a path that is built with stepping stones. As I stand on one stone, another stone of opportunity is presented to me and I get to move further down the path. I know many people have detours and forks in their career journeys, but my path has been very direct. When I graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in home economics and education, I taught high school home economics. That job lasted two years until the first of my two sons was born. While spending a few years at home with my young children, I started a gourmet dinner club with friends. I just couldn’t ignore the call to be creative with food. When events in my life forced me to seek a full-time job, I applied for work at a trendy cater- ing business that also housed and supported a branch of the Institute of Culinary Arts where entry-level people were being trained to work in commercial kitchens. The job I applied for was a multi-hat position as instructor of the institute, chef for the catering business, and general kitchen support. Part of my interview for the job required that I do a demonstration of paté choux for the owner and the kitchen manager. I remember burning some mid- night oil getting ready for the presentation, and it paid off because I was hired. I learned I would also be required to prep for and be present for some biweekly evening classes for the paying public. When my boss asked me to teach a couple of the evening classes, I knew I was doing a good job! After only a few years, the storeowner passed away and the business was dissolved.To generate income, I began making desserts at home to sell to local restau- rants. One restaurant owner hired me to work as a pastry chef in his three-star restaurant. During the two years I
  • 15. xiv was there, I started my own catering business to supple- ment my income.The catering business was a big success. I was able to purchase a van and hire assistants. But a couple of years later when the oil business in Oklahoma took a nosedive, so did my clients’ budgets for catered events. I decided to relocate to an area that was more economically diverse. After a move to Dallas, Texas, I had the good fortune to meet a freelance food stylist who offered to be my food styling mentor. She guaranteed that during the time I worked with her, I would be introduced to photographers and art directors who might have food styling work for me in the future. She also strongly encouraged me to build a portfolio. The only thing she asked in return was that I assist her when she worked. She assured me I would make more money working with her than I could as a pastry chef.That was all I needed to hear to convince me to accept her offer. The combination of being an artsy girl and having a solid background in food, including food chemistry, nutrition, and presentation, made me a natural in the world of food styling. My career quickly progressed from assistant, to stylist, to lead stylist in the Dallas market. I was a freelance food stylist in the Dallas commercial market for more than 20 years. When it comes to food styling, I have done it all, for both film and still pho- tography. My client list includes many national and inter- national food accounts: Bennigan’s, Chili’s, Braum’s Ice Cream, Steak & Ale, Safeway, Popeye’s Chicken, Sam’s Club, Neiman Marcus, Harry & David, Travel Hosts, Quaker Foods, Weight Watchers, Burleson’s Honey, Affiliated Foods, Fleming Foods, Fresh World Farms, Excel Beef, Earth Grain, Rainbow Bread, Fur’s Cafeteria, Baskin Robbin’s Ice Cream, Schlotzsky’s, Wolf Brand Chili, Church’s Chicken, Tony Roma, Pizza Inn, Harri- gan’s, Embassy Suites, Taco Tico, Del Taco, McDonald’s, Long John Silver’s, Taco Bueno, American Airlines, Rudy’s Farm Sausage, Grandy’s, Mrs. Crockett, Tyson Foods, FritoLay, and Collin Street Bakery, among others. One of my most frequent clients, Harry & David, offered me a full-time position as stylist manager in their in- house photography studio. I accepted that offer and spent a few years working with them in Oregon. Now I am taking yet another step down my career path with the creation of this book, and I look forward to teaching seminars on food styling. I’ve learned many things about food styling from various sources during my career. A great deal of my accumulated knowledge was gathered through the trial-and-error method, while some information was shared by other food stylists. However, during the last 12 years I was A B O U T T H E A U T H O R S
  • 16. xv called on to train several stylists and it is from those students that I learned firsthand the truth behind the phrase “the teacher becomes the student.” Their ideas and creative experimentation led to numerous new shortcuts and techniques that achieved better results. During the years I styled food in Dallas, I worked with numerous professional photographers.Some have become friends of mine including Jean Ann Bybee. Jean Ann, her husband Brad Rogers, and I maintained our friendship over the years and miles after my move to Oregon. When she and I first started working together more than 20 years ago, we realized that something special, a magically creative process, happened when we worked in the studio. When the idea of writing this book became a reality, my editor suggested I partner with a photographer. Jean Ann was my first choice. JEAN ANN BYBEE As a child, I played with my father’s Polaroid camera that he used for work, but I did not get my first real camera until I was in college. Although I thought of pursuing photography as a career, I was told it’s “a man’s job.” At that time there were very few female photog- raphers in Dallas, Texas. Bowing to my parents’ wishes for me to be in the medical field, I got as close to pho- tography as I could and ended up taking x-rays. I went back to college at night to learn photography. Little by little I managed to work my way into the business. I assisted many wonderful male photographers and had to prove everyday that I could do what the guys did. So from the inside out I became a photographer. Eventually, I received a job offer to be a shooter at a large catalogue photo studio in Dallas. I loved fashion and shot for Neiman Marcus for 9 years in both Dallas and New York. I have owned my own business for more than 15 years and shoot fashion, food, people, and products, but food is a favorite. Shooting food is like shooting a beautiful woman: They both take lots of prep time and neither lasts very long on set. I light my food using large broad light sources for the softest lighting possible.I love the freshness of natural light on faces and on food. I often use natural light and mix it with strobe lighting for the right effect. Being fast and ready to shoot is an absolute necessity in order to be successful shooting either food or fashion. I have a wonderful family I love. My husband works with me and takes care of managing the computer and the business while I take pictures. Our lovely young daughter is graduating from college this year. I feel so lucky to have made a very successful career of something I love. I have been able to travel all over the A B O U T T H E A U T H O R S
  • 17. xvi world shooting pictures. What a life! My clients include Victoria’s Secret, Abercrombie and Fitch, J.C. Penney, Smithsonian Institute, Miller Brewing Co., American Eagle Outfitters,Anheuser-Busch,Calidad Foods,Collin Street Bakery, Dominos Pizza, Epicure, Harry & David, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Sara Lee, Walt Disney Produc- tions, American Express, Dr. Pepper/Cadbury, and Williamson-Dickies. A B O U T T H E A U T H O R S
  • 18. xvii Acknowledgments Jean Ann, Brad, and I want to express our gratitude to the numerous contributors who provided products and services for us during the photography production of this book. Thank you to the following corporations and indi- viduals for contributing so generously to this project: 3M Home Care Division, www.3m.com ACH Food Companies, Inc., www.karosyrup.com The Anchor Hocking Company, www.anchorhocking .com Angostura Limited, www.angostura.com BernzOmatic Inc., www.bernzOmatic.com Cardinal International, www.cardinalglass.com Central Market, owned and operated by H. E. Butts Grocery Company, www.centralmarket.com and www .hebgrocery.com Chimera, www.chimeralighting.com Collin Street Bakery of Corsicana, Texas, makers of world-famous cheesecakes and fruitcakes, www .collinstreetbakery.com The Color Wheel Co., www.colorwheelco.com Cuisinart, 1 Cummings Point Road, Stamford, CT 06902, whose products and name are used with permis- sion, www.cuisinart.com Dow Chemical Company, www.styrofoamcrafts.com East Ellum Digital, technical support and additional camera equipment, technicians; John Shipes and Neal Farris, www.eastellumdigital.com Electron Microscopy Sciences, www.emsdiasum.com Elmer’s Products, www.elmers.com Energy Brands Inc. (d/b/a/ Glacêau), www.glaceau.com EVO Media, Inc., www.evo.com Gitzo, www.gitzo.com Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc., www.hamiltonbeach.com Hasselblad USA, www.hasselbladusa.com Hearthmark LLC (d/b/a Jarden Home Brands), a Jarden Corporation company, www.freshpreserving.com
  • 19. xviii Hilden Manufacturing Co. Ltd., www.hilden.co.uk Jiffy Steamer Company, LLC, www.jiffysteamer.com JRM Chemical, Inc., of Cleveland, OH, www.soilmoist .com Krylon Products Group, www.askkrylon.com Le Creuset of America, www.lecreuset.com Lynn Kelly, designer aprons, www.lynnsdesigneraprons .etsy.com Messermeister, Inc., www.messermeister.com National Presto Industries, Inc., www.gopresto.com Nik Software, Inc., www.niksoftware.com OXO International, www.oxo.com Polyvinyl Films makers of STRETCH-TITE plastic food wrap, www.pvfilms.com The Procter & Gamble Company, www.pg.com and www .quickerpickerupper.com S. C. Johnson, A Family Company, www.scjohnson.com Table Art Cloth by bamsart.com, www.bamsart.com Totally Bamboo, Inc., www.totallybamboo.com Wilton Industries, Inc., www.wilton.com X-Rite, Inc., www.x-rite.com Zak Designs, www.zak.com Zwilling J.A. Henckels, www.zwilling.com Linda Bellingham wishes to thank the following indi- viduals: Trish Dahl for her encouragement all those years ago; Dennis and Bonnie Wilson for providing comfort- able lodgings for me during photography production in Dallas. My heartfelt thanks also go to Angie Bellingham and to my sons for their encouragement and support. Jean Ann Bybee wishes to thank the following individu- als: Cynthia Hall for her support and help in this project, and Aki Shiratori for hair and makeup for my portrait. A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S
  • 20. xix Preface The Big client you have been waiting to work with has just called with a project. There’s only one catch. The client needs you to photograph a “simple” food shot and he doesn’t want to spend any money on a food stylist. Bad move on his part and a major headache for you. Here are your choices: (1) Say “No” to Mr. Big because you know that a food shoot without a food stylist can be a nightmare, but by saying no you ensure that this client will not call you about future projects. (2) You can personally foot the bill for a food stylist and hope that future business from this client will make up for the expense. This decision directly impacts your wallet and offers no insurance for winning the client’s future busi- ness. (3) Do it yourself—a gutsy choice, and an all-too- common decision. Over the years, many photographers, stylists, and pho- tography students have contacted me with panic in their voices. There were two basic reasons: Either a client did not provide funds to hire a food stylist, or a test shot of a specific food was needed. To say the least, this is not a comfortable position for the photographer or for the person designated to work with the food. It is especially uncomfortable if the photographer is also the self- appointed food stylist. I have been a freelance food stylist in the commercial market for nearly 30 years. My bachelor’s degree in edu- cation and home economics as well as many years spent in restaurant and commercial kitchens led me to a career in food styling. In the world of food styling, I have done it all—several times. This book does not take work away from food stylists, but rather aids photographers and others who struggle with food styling tasks when no food stylist is available. In each chapter you will find step-by-step instructions accompanied by numerous photographs illustrating tech- niques for preparing food for photography. Also, a final photograph depicting the finished product accompanies each chapter or chapter section.This finished shot will be an invaluable reference tool as you acquaint yourself with the styling procedures for each shot. Preparing food for photography is nothing like cooking for consumption. The information in these chapters will help you gain knowledge of techniques as well as offer
  • 21. xx suggestions for tools and supplies best suited for the job of food styling. Most importantly, as you transcend into the world of food styling, the techniques offered in this book will help you gain some confidence. You may discover variations for techniques presented in this book that work better for you. If so, make notations for future reference. You might find it helpful to start a food styling journal. It is my hope that this book will be a tool to help move you toward a successful food styling experience. Some of the words and phrases used in this book are industry related. We have included a glossary at the end of the book for readers unfamiliar with these terms. P R E F A C E
  • 23.
  • 24. O N E Introduction to Food Styling
  • 25. 2 I N T R O D U C T I O N T O F O O D S T Y L I N G During my years as a food stylist, I developed pro- fessional relationships and solid friendships with numerous other stylists, photographers, and assistants. Occasionally, photographers or assistants would ask me for advice about projects on which they were working. These projects invariably involved food they wanted to style and photograph when no funds were available for a food stylist. I offered time and assistance when possi- ble, but due to my busy food styling schedule, advice was often my only contribution. As the years went by, I noticed that these requests for advice were becoming more frequent. I eventually recognized that the ques- tions had increased for two reasons: Either the photog- rapher’s food client had no funds for a food stylist or the photographer was pursuing a food client and needed a new portfolio shot of a specific food. It is no wonder that with current budget reductions for advertising, especially for smaller projects, photographers are often being asked to provide food photography without the aid of a food stylist. As for the second reason, it can be difficult to find a stylist who has the time or interest to contribute to portfolio shots. My advice to photographers is this: Always use a food stylist when your client can pay for one. In most cases, to accomplish commercial food photography, there abso- lutely needs to be a food stylist on the production team. In reality, however, whether it’s being done for fun, for a portfolio shot, or for a small project, there are times when a photographer or non–food stylist will venture into the world of food styling. For this reason, when you want to play with—and photograph—your food, this book will help you be successful with the food styling part of the project. The techniques and styling methods given in this book are general guidelines for food styling. The topic of food styling is vast and at times can be very specific and com- plicated. It is impossible to cover everything within the confines of one book.My goal with this book is to provide photographers with a general reference source and to relieve some of the intimidation you might have about food styling. I’m going to share some knowledge that I’ve accumulated over the years and help you build confidence when working with food for photography. Even if you don’t intend to tackle food styling yourself, the fact that you are taking time to read this book will better prepare you for shooting food. You will become familiar with the techniques used by food stylists. You will have a better feel for the pace of food styling and will not be surprised at the time it takes to prep or achieve some food styling techniques. You will also be better equipped to anticipate requests from stylists for equipment and tables in your studio.
  • 26. 3 C H A P T E R O N E A FEW RULES FOR FOOD STYLING To begin our study of food styling, you should familiarize yourself with some of the unwritten rules of food styling. A few of these rules are obvious, but should be men- tioned nonetheless, especially if you are new to food styling. These unwritten rules became apparent to me by way of trial and error. My hope in listing these rules and guidelines is that you will be able to avoid some of the pitfalls and disasters that can occur when photographing food. As you venture into food styling, you may discover some additional guidelines to add to this list. (See the Glossary at the end of this book for definitions of terminology that may be unfamiliar to you.) if you aren’t working “in the moment.” Always follow safety guidelines for working with knives, scissors, and other sharp-edged tools—and remember that a sharp knife is less dangerous than a dull one. Rule Three: As you build a hero food item, sit or stand with your eyes at camera level whenever possible. Build the hero with the camera side toward you. In other words, your eyes are the camera. Focus on the front and sides of the food that the camera will see. Don’t pay any attention to the appearance of the back of the hero. The camera angle is all that matters when photographing food. Rule Four: Never open any container on or over the set. Instead, open containers in the prep area or on a side table away from the set. Remove food items from containers in the prep area and, when appropriate, drain any moisture from the items to prevent dripping on the set. If you are using liquids on set, cover the set with at least one layer of paper towels to contain any drips where the liquids will be poured or styled. Cleanup on a hero set is not fun and it can be a very time-consuming task. Rule One: The first rule is to never eat food that has been on set or handled as a hero. I’ve always said that it’s bad karma to eat photo food. This rule makes good sense not only because hero food is usually handled a lot, but also because it isn’t always managed in ways that keep it safe for consumption. In some instances, substances are added or applied to the food that render the food unsafe for consumption. Rule Two: Always read safety and use instructions for equipment that is being used for the first time and as a reminder to be safety conscious when using any equipment. Simple tools and tasks can become dangerous One photographer I work with told me a story about a large set consisting of numerous pieces of clear glassware that she constructed for a client. The set took hours to finalize because she had to make sure the glassware was positioned properly and was clean and dust free. One glass in the middle of the set was to be shown with champagne
  • 27. 4 I N T R O D U C T I O N T O F O O D S T Y L I N G in it. Before the photographer could stop him, her client popped the cork on the champagne bottle.Yes, you guessed it, right over the set. Champagne shot everywhere. The entire set had to be dismantled in order to clean the surface and the glassware. Unfortunately, the champagne incident forced them to start the project over from scratch.Needless to say, it was a very maddening experience for everyone. Rule Five: My rule for stand-ins is to provide a very loose translation of the hero. A few examples of my stand-ins are a wadded-up paper towel for ice cream and a brown grocery bag with a roll of paper towels in it for a turkey! Not only does this strategy give me more time and creative energy to focus on building the hero, but it doesn’t set a rigid mental image for the art director, photographer, or me to latch onto. There are a few exceptions to this rule and they will be mentioned in the appropriate chapters. I learned the hard way about stand-ins. During the first few years of my career, I usually made a realistic looking stand-in for the client to critique and for the creative team to look at while building the set. On one occasion the client fell in love with the stand-in and wanted the hero to be built exactly the same. By the time the set was finalized, the stand-in was well past its prime. My task of re-creating the hero to perfectly resemble the stand-in was painfully frustrating and time consuming. Rule Six: Have a plan. Be prepared. I can’t emphasize this enough: Make sure you have everything that you might need in the studio the day before the shoot. The only exception to this rule is salad greens, berries, maybe flowers, and ice if you don’t have room in your freezer to store it overnight. HAVE A PLAN The simple fact is that every shot is different. When clients make the decision to produce a selling shot, they want a shot that is unique to their product. They may choose to borrow some elements from other shots that they have seen, but their main objective is to create something new and different. Encourage clients to provide you with tear sheets (examples of previously printed work) that they like to give you an indication of what they want. Then ask them to identify elements within those tear sheets that they want included in their shot. These go-bys help you and others on the creative team by providing a starting point for the project. I have been in studios where the photographer put up a dry erase board and listed the separate elements that the client wanted in the shot. He posted the go-bys next to the board for reference. I saw how these tools helped to give the entire team direction. I’ve also witnessed times when the team decided to take a total departure from
  • 28. 5 C H A P T E R O N E its original idea based on some creative thinking by one or more of the team members. Sometimes departure from the original idea happens because the team members learn that what they thought they wanted just doesn’t look good to the camera. You can use the rules and tools just discussed as you begin planning your shot regardless of the size of your team. If you are working on a portfolio piece and going solo, the decision-making process is the same and requires just as much research and thought. Conduct preplanning for your project.This will help you determine direction and establish a better mental picture of your photographic image goal. Every decision you make in the planning stage will guide you. You will know what to purchase and you can mentally run a time-frame checklist for the prep required and for the day of the shoot. Similar to preparing a family dinner, the prep process for food photography is time sensitive. Some items can be prepped the day before final photogra- phy; however, the more perishable items will need to be prepped right before they are built on the hero plate. BE PREPARED In general, the food gathering, preparation, and hero process require a lot of table space, so you will need to have ample room to work. If you don’t have tabletop space available, set up tables using sawhorses and plywood sheets, or rent folding cafeteria-type tables from a party rental store before you start shopping. You’ll want to have the tabletop space available when you arrive at the studio with your food products. Also, consider the refrigeration space available in your studio. If you are planning a project with lots of perish- able or frozen ingredients, you may need to rent extra refrigerator and freezer appliances from a local rental store. You’ll want to get the appliances a day or two before you shop for the food for your project so the appli- ances will have time to come to proper storage tempera- ture. Check the appliance temperature settings. Place a thermometer inside the appliance and check the tem- perature after 24 hours to certify the appliance is holding the correct temperature. Make sure any refrigerators you plan to use for photo food are not too cold because tender items could freeze. A refrigerator should be in the 40º to 44º Fahrenheit range for photo food. Actually, I prefer 44ºF for photo food because I’ve had a few experiences with salad greens freezing when the refrigerator was full and set on 40ºF. By ordering the appliance a few days ahead of the shoot, you will be able to determine if it is working properly. That also gives you time to request the rental agency to repair or replace an item if necessary. Appliance rental businesses usually deliver and set up their appliances as well as pick them up at the end of the rental period.
  • 29. 6 I N T R O D U C T I O N T O F O O D S T Y L I N G you select.The boxes that hold a case of individual water bottles work great. I keep several of those boxes in my trunk.If you don’t have boxes and the grocer doesn’t have any that are a good size for your project,ask the checkout clerk for a couple of large paper bags.Lay the bags flat in your shopping cart to create the desired smooth surface. Tip 3: Be extremely picky when you select grocery items for photography. You want to purchase only the very best examples of each item you need as well as dupli- cates of each item for insurance. Foods to be cut or cooked will need more than one backup. Additionally, you may need stand-ins or extras for testing purposes. Tip 4: Purchase nonperishable items a day or two before the shoot. If possible, perishable groceries should be purchased the day of the shoot. LOOKING FOR A HERO There is a process stylists go through during the prep phase of photography that is called the hero process. The hero process is the process of looking through lots of one kind of item to find the perfect, or hero, examples of that item for your shot. This is a picky, picky process. It usually involves looking at numerous trays filled with one kind of food. Sometimes it means going to several markets to find the perfect examples of certain items. Rule Seven: Learn to shop like a stylist. The quality of the items you purchase for your shoot will directly impact the appearance of your final image. Quality and perfection of each item you purchase are the goals. If you don’t bring quality items to the studio, you won’t bring quality to the camera. For a novice, shopping for a photo shoot may sound like an easy task. You’ve shopped plenty of times, right? Well, stylists take shopping to the extreme. If you are planning to attempt your own food styling, you will be wise to brush up on some stylist’s shopping tips. SHOP WISELY Tip 1: Shop at the best groceries available. Some markets are known for specific types of groceries such as bakery, produce, or meats. Find the absolute best markets that provide the types of food you need for your shot and shop at those places. If you are fortunate to have one overall wonderful grocery market, like I did for this book, even better, because one-stop shop- ping will save you lots of time. During photography production for this book, I shopped at Central Market in Dallas, Texas, for everything. Tip 2: Take a few flat, low-sided boxes to the market to create a smooth surface that won’t mar the tender items Looking for a hero: hamburger buns contending for hero status.
  • 30. 7 C H A P T E R O N E
  • 31. 8 I N T R O D U C T I O N T O F O O D S T Y L I N G Rule Eight: Protect the hero food. Whether the hero items are on a table in the studio or in the refrigerator, freezer, etc., be sure they are identified as hero items and not for consumption. Once found, the hero items must be cared for in ways specific to each type of item to maintain hero quality until photography is completed. Let’s consider the bun on the hamburger that is featured in Chapter 6, the burgers and sandwiches chapter. The description of the bun hero process is discussed in that chapter. More than a dozen packages of hamburger buns were carefully selected and purchased to find the perfect bun for this shot. If you have a baker nearby who is willing to sell a flat of freshly baked buns, you’re fortunate. However, even that measure does not guarantee a hero. Once the buns are in the studio, each bun must be scru- tinized to see if it is hero quality.This process is the same for almost every food item that goes into photography. It’s as if the items participate in a beauty pageant to determine the winner and runner-ups.The items that win are ranked and assigned numbers to indicate their ranking. They are of high value to you at this point. Many tears have been shed over hero food that was con- sumed by studio crew members or clients before the shot was made. Because the items had not been properly marked as hero food, the crew was blissfully unaware that they were eating the star product that a stylist had care- fully shopped for and selected after looking at hundreds of examples. We can only hope they appreciated how perfect the item looked as they ate it! Rule Nine: Before you make a final capture or shoot film of your hero, double- check the set to make certain there are no visible tools, supplies, paper towels, etc., within the crop of the shot. Yes, I’ve been guilty of this. TOOLS OF THE TRADE: ASSEMBLING YOUR FOOD STYLING KIT Being prepared also means having the tools and sup- plies available that are needed to style the specific foods you are working with on each project. Just as having the right tool for the job applies to handymen, it also applies to food styling. The right tools can make short work of some tasks. And, in the world of food photography, both time and timing are crucial. Basic Kit Components For most food styling projects you will need some specific tools and supplies. You will see many of these tools in the technical working shots within this book. The basic com- ponents of your styling kit should include the following:
  • 32. 9 C H A P T E R O N E ● Tweezers. A pair of long-handled, bent-tip style twee- zers is a versatile and often used tool in my kit. I have more than one pair. My favorite tweezers are from Electron Microscopy Sciences (www.emsdiasum .com), Style 24, Part No. 72880-DB with a 90% bent end, and Style 24, Part No. 72880-DS, which has a straight end. ● Spatulas. I use 9-inch Wilton Comfort Grip tapered spatulas and 9-inch Wilton Comfort Grip angled spatulas, both of which have offset bends. I have at least two of each in my kit at all times. Wilton makes spatulas of different shapes and sizes, parchment paper, concentrated gel food coloring, piping gel, cake pans, cake levelers, etc. (www.wilton.com). ● Knives. I keep numerous knives in my kit. You will probably want to have a 3-inch paring knife, a 6-inch chef ’s knife, two 10-inch chef ’s knives, especially if you work with cheesecake, an 8-inch serrated knife, and a tomato knife. I use both Messermeister knives (www.messermeister.com) and Henckels knives (www .henckel.com). ● Knife sharpener or steel. There are only two important things to consider about the type of sharpener you use. The most important one is that you must be safe and comfortable using it. The other is that the sharpener must provide a really sharp edge on your knives. ● Small, sharp scissors. I use fisherman’s fly-tying scissors. ● Kitchen scissors. I use both Messermeister and Henckels. ● Brushes. You will need an assortment of artist’s brushes and pastry brushes. ● Hand tools. These include peelers, a zester, rubber spatulas, etc. I like the OXO Good Grips brand (www.oxo.com). ● Long wood skewers and toothpicks. The skewers are usually sold in bulk packages advertised for shish kebabs. I’ve seen two thicknesses of skewers on the market and both have specific advantages, so I keep both in my kit. ● Bulb-type dropper. My personal favorite type of dropper can be found at pharmacies. They are used to dispense liquid medicine to children and come in several different styles and sizes. I also like a bent-tip plastic syringe like that used by dentists. You might ask your dentist about them at your next appointment.
  • 33. 1 0 I N T R O D U C T I O N T O F O O D S T Y L I N G ● Spritz bottle. These can be found at beauty supply stores. The best fine-spray tips with a controlled area of spray are found on push-down type spray heads rather than trigger sprayers. I use a smaller push- down type spritz bottle for most projects. However, I also have a larger capacity trigger sprayer that is handy for keeping salad greens, floral items, etc., misted during prep. ● Small containers for liquids. Especially when you go to set, it’s nice to have small containers for liquids such as water, oil, corn syrup, and coloring agents. Empty plastic egg cartons work very well for this task because, when opened flat, the egg cups hold as many as a dozen different liquids and the top tray is perfect for brushes. They can also be recycled and used for your next styling job. ● Small and large wire cutters. I use small cutters to cut skewers, toothpicks, etc. The large ones are used less often, but occasionally come in handy. ● User-friendly plastic wrap. I have to admit that STRETCHTITE plastic food wrap made by Polyvinyl Films has been my favorite for several years. It’s easy to work with, is strong, and the packaging design keeps the end of the wrap very accessible. Equipment Often Used for Food Styling Cooking equipment that comes in handy for food styling is as follows: ● Steamer. I use a hand steamer, Esteam, manufactured by Jiffy Steamer Company (www.jiffysteamer.com). ● Trays. Plastic trays are almost indispensable to a food photo shoot. I have quite a few of them and they have numerous uses. Restaurant equipment stores often have cafeteria-type trays at a reasonable price. ● Bowls. I have a variety of nonbreakable bowls in my kit, especially patented Gemini Bowls, offered by Zak Designs (www.zak.com). Zak also makes a large variety of other items, including colanders, trays, and measuring spoons and cups. I also use glass bowls, batter bowls, and measuring cups of various sizes made by Anchor Hocking (www .anchorhocking.com). Cardinal Glass International makes some wonderful prep bowls and a large assortment of glassware and serving plates (www .cardinalglass.com). ● Mixer. Because of the wide variety of tasks it can handle, I keep a Cuisinart Quick Prep in my kit. When I’m working on a fake ice cream shot,
  • 34. 1 1 C H A P T E R O N E ● Clear corn syrup. I use Karo corn syrup. ● Paper towels. Where there’s a food stylist, there are usually paper towels. I use Bounty brand. ● Glass cleaner. I use Windex glass cleaner. A good rule is to clean any glass, plate, or flatware surface with glass cleaner before going to set. Cleaning a plate after it’s on set with food is not fun. ● Scrub sponges and scour pads. I like Scotch-Brite heavy- duty scrub sponges and scouring pads for cleanup and for special techniques with vegetables. SAFETY NOTE Spraying food and items that touch food with dulling spray, a clear gloss polyurethane, or paint renders food unsafe for consumption. Be certain to clearly mark all trays and containers of foods that have been sprayed as NOT EDIBLE. SAFETY NOTE Some techniques are specific to food styling and render food unsafe for consumption. Be sure to mark clearly all foods that have been scrubbed as inedible. I take along a Cuisinart DFP-14BC food processor (www.cuisinart.com). I also use a Hamilton Beach hand mixer with stand. It comes with three different beater attachments. ● For deep-fry jobs, I use my Hamilton Beach 12-Cup Oil Capacity Deep Fryer because it is very portable (www.hamiltonbeach.com). ● Griddle. I rely on my Presto Tilt’N Drain griddle (www.gopresto.com). Supplies Often Used in Food Styling You should have the following supplies handy because they are often used for food styling: ● Gelatin. Gelatin acts as a thickening agent and does not require heat to activate it. This product can be found in many cooking supply stores as well as some health food stores. You can also purchase gelatin on the internet at www.countrykitchensa .com. ● Piping gel. This type of gel is used because it has a smooth consistency and adds sheen to sauces. Wilton piping gel comes in a 10-oz tub and can be purchased at cake supply stores or purchased online at www .wilton.com. ● Clear polyurethane spray and dulling spray. I use Krylon Crystal Clear and Dulling Spray as well as Krylon paints for a variety of uses (www.askkrylon@sherwin.com).
  • 35. 1 2 I N T R O D U C T I O N T O F O O D S T Y L I N G ● Isopropyl alcohol. If you get a splash of liquid on plates or glassware on set, isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab or paper towel can be used to remove spots or filmy residue from plate surfaces. ● Cotton-tipped swabs. Swabs are useful for all kinds of tasks and are always on my set tray.
  • 36. 1 3 C H A P T E R O N E PHOTOGRAPHER’S COMMENTS—Notes on the Stylist Kit Set This shot is of the set that is used throughout the book for technical and working shots. To achieve continuity in the appearance of our technical shots, I decided to use the same lighting for all of the technical shots with exceptions only for specific products that need special lighting techniques. The white set has two Chimera lightbanks, one small key light and one medium fill. I use Chimera lightbanks to give an even, soft light to all shots. I used the same camera and lens for all shots on the technical set to maintain color and lens perspective. The white seamlessness acts as a background and also serves as a large fill card that lights the stainless steel in this shot.
  • 37.
  • 38. T W O Sets and Settings
  • 39. 1 6 S E T S A N D S E T T I N G S BASICS TO CONSIDER WHEN PLANNING FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY An empty plate can be beautiful. But let’s assume you have a plan to photograph food on that plate. You’ve looked at tear sheets, thought about the food, and made some decisions. Maybe a specific food item is the driving force for your planning. You are ready to start choosing a plate, its color and pattern, the arrangement of food on the plate, and the set surface. What about a napkin, textures, colors of the set, etc.? Do you want flatware in the shot? Glassware? Flowers? Do you feel a little over- whelmed? Don’t. Asking yourself some specific ques- tions will take the guesswork out of your planning and give you a specific direction for your project. WHAT’S THE POINT OF THE SHOT? First of all, what’s the point of the shot? Is it to sell a specific food or to sell plates or flatware? Are you more interested in an artsy editorial shot? And my favorite question: Is the shot you are planning going to be used strictly as a portfolio piece? I love asking this question because I have seen so much portfolio photography that was well executed and beautiful, but the shots didn’t have a point. I have to admit that I committed this crime myself back when I was starting my career. I worked with photographers on portfolio shots and the goal was always the same: to achieve a beautiful shot. Now when I see such shots, they don’t appeal to my emotions, my intellect, or my appetite. After being in the world of food and food photography for over 30 years, I finally get it. If you are going to spend time creating a beautiful pho- tograph, make sure you can identify a focal point for the It’s someone’s birthday!
  • 40. 1 7 C H A P T E R T W O shot. Create a shot that will stir emotions, tell a story, make mouths water, or make the viewer wonder how in the world you did that. When you sell food via photography, the goal of the stylist and photographer is to make the viewer want to buy that food. The guidelines for photography taken expressly to sell food have changed during the past 20 years. Today’s commercial food photography shots are much tighter on the food.The mood of the shot is created by lighting and by insinuated atmosphere. Now, that’s a great term, “insinuated atmosphere.” When you look at a picture, you should get a quick read of what’s happen- ing before you have time to blink. The shot tells you a story. Are we selling this cake?
  • 41. 1 8 S E T S A N D S E T T I N G S Oh look, someone was having a piece of cake with their coffee and they must have gone to answer the door because the coffee looks freshly poured and that cake looks so yummy. It looks like they were just about to take the first bite. I bet they can’t wait to get back to it. What’s the focus of your shot? What story do you want to tell? When you can answer these questions, you will be able to begin deciding other issues. Keep in mind that the story of your shot should be simple. The most important thing to remember when creating an image specifically for the pop factor is to keep it simple. More elements in the shot mean more distractions for the viewer’s eyes. Less is best. TIPS FOR CHOOSING SETS AND SURFACES FOR FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY It’s time to make decisions about the set and surface for the presentation of the food. Think about the color, texture, and visual weight of the food item you’re shoot- ing. By visual weight, I mean things like density and whether the item is dark or light colored and what size it is. For instance, a pan-seared thick filet of beef is dense. It’s mainly brown with some red if it’s cut open, which makes it heavy with color. It’s not huge but it is substantial. Will it need other foods as accompaniment? It could be shown alone on a plate. However, even if you shoot close up for a tight shot, the filet might be more interesting if enhanced with other foods that have nondemanding colors and textures. To make the food you’re featuring pop in the shot, the featured food should stand out when combined with other foods. This can be achieved by lighting and color. What foods and food colors will complement your photo food? Refer to the color wheel. NOTE Refer to the chapter on desserts for details about the cake and frosting techniques used in this chapter. HOW TO MAKE FOOD POP IN THE IMAGE Having a good grasp of the focal point and the story you want to tell will help you determine the setting or atmosphere for the shot. The focal point should be quickly identified by the viewer. This is called “pop” or separation. Since we’re talking specifically about food, you want the food to visually pop in the image you will be creating. There are decisions you can make during the planning phase that will help make the food, the focal point of your shot, pop. Now we’re selling cake!
  • 42. 1 9 C H A P T E R T W O
  • 43. 2 0 S E T S A N D S E T T I N G S Here’s a quick color lesson. The three primary colors are red, blue, and yellow. The three secondary colors are purple, orange, and green. Tertiary colors result when a primary color is mixed with a secondary color. Different shades of colors are the result of mixing a color with white or black. Colors that are on the opposite side of the color wheel are called complementary. For instance, purple and yellow are complementary, as are blue and orange, and red and green. These colors contrast with each other, yet at the same time make each other more active and exciting to the eye. As a general rule, lighting, focus, and color will make the focal point of your shot pop. A combination of these three elements can be used to enhance the objectivity of your shot, both the food and the story. There are plenty of examples in this book. Each full-page image went through a creative process before the final capture was made. The photographer and I were the creative team. We used the questions I’ve mentioned in this chapter as tools to help us reach decisions about the set and setting for the food in all our images. If the set is full of lively colors, chances are the food will not be the focus. Choosing colors for the set that are pleasing to the eye but not brilliant with color is a good idea. Using different shades or tints of the same color in the set helps to ensure that the food will be the focal point. Differences in texture of items in the same color family, and lighting of the set, will create a pleasing envi- ronment for the hero food. To draw the viewer’s eye to the focal point food, keep more colorful items near your food rather than at the perimeter of the shot. All this having been said, don’t be afraid to experiment. Break the rules if you want because you may be very suc- cessful. Try using surfaces with your food that are not
  • 44. 2 1 C H A P T E R T W O customarily used with food. Just tell the story you want to tell and make the food pop. Table Setting Tips These are guidelines for setting a formal table. It’s good to be aware of the correct placement for table setting components even though creative license is often used to position table elements in photography.Traditionally, flatware is arranged in the order in which it will be used during the meal, building from the outside in toward the plate. As a reference tool, this image shows a full place setting with napkin, the smaller salad fork, dinner fork, knife with the blade turned toward the plate, soup
  • 45. 2 2 S E T S A N D S E T T I N G S spoon, and dessert fork positioned horizontally above the plate. If coffee is to be served with dessert, a coffee spoon can be placed above the top of the plate parallel with the dessert fork. The water glass is directly above the knife with a wine glass to the right of the water glass. The napkin is shown here to the left of the forks, but it can also be placed on top of the empty plate. Working Fabric on the Set If you have fabric on the set as an element in the shot either as a surface or background, you need to be armed with some knowledge about how to get it to look the way you wish. Always check the fabric content and run a test on a small piece of the fabric to make sure it can withstand the heat of a dry iron and tolerate the moisture generated by a steamer or steam iron. Start your test with a dry iron. You’ll need to determine what level of heat works best with the fabric. Then you’ll want to determine if steam or water sprayed onto the fabric leaves any marks or residue after the fabric is ironed dry. If a photography surface is to be totally covered with a fabric, for instance, a tablecloth, you will want to start out by covering the shooting surface with a layer of white felt. Felt comes in a variety of widths and can be purchased at most fabric stores. You might want to purchase several yards of the felt so you will have plenty around the studio for future projects. Using felt under fabric on a hard surface offers many advantages. It will give the hero fabric surface a softer appearance since placing a fabric over a wood surface can make the fabric look flat and hard. When felt is under the hero fabric, the fabric will accept light on the set in a warm and fuzzy way instead of being hard and unfriendly. The felt will allow you to iron or steam directly on the hero fabric on the set surface without
  • 46. 2 3 C H A P T E R T W O damaging the table underneath. It will also help contrib- ute to any slight ridges for textural interest should you choose to make them. But regardless of whether you choose a flat or manipulated surface, the felt will lend a richer quality to the hero fabric set covering. With the felt laid smoothly over the shooting surface, you can proceed to cover it with the hero fabric covering you’ve chosen. If the specific fabric responds well to moisture, you can spritz the fabric with water and iron it smooth on the set. This technique is especially good on fabrics with cotton and linen content. You will need an additional tabletop surface on which to lay napkins and other smaller fabric items after they’ve been ironed. Once napkins are ironed, I like to keep them flat until they are folded and placed on the set. Use a stand-in to determine the style of folding and placement of the napkin in your shot. Fabric that is used as a background in a sweep or backdrop can be steamed as it hangs in place on a hori- zontal bar on the set.
  • 47. 2 4 S E T S A N D S E T T I N G S If a flat fabric surface looks uninteresting to the camera, areas of interest can be created in the fabric. Visual inter- est is made by soft ridges or movement in the fabric and by the way the set lighting creates shadows around the ridges. The lighting on your set will be instrumental in making magic happen with a fabric surface. After the fabric is ironed, the first thing you do is look at the fabric from the camera to make certain the iron removed all unwanted wrinkles. To create slight movement, similar to ridges on a topographical map, place both of your clean hands flat on the fabric in the area where you want some interest in the surface. Gently press your hands closer to each other until the fabric bunches slightly. It might be necessary to put a weight or small heavy object on different areas of the fabric out of view of the camera to maintain the ridges. Look from the camera either by placing your head directly in front of the lens to view the set or by taking a capture. If you find the ridges need to be maneuvered, use the same tech- nique until you are pleased with the appearance. Depend- ing on your lighting and the angle of light that is hitting the surface, the ridges will cast a shadow. That’s what creates the interest. Smaller or less puffy ridges cast smaller shadows. Once you get comfortable with the process of creating ridges, start practicing to create mul- tidirectional ridges because they are more interesting and less distracting. Supplies used to create the full-page dish shot at the beginning of this chapter: ● Arcoroc dishes and flatware ● Cardinal International glassware ● Hilden International 100% Egyptian cotton table covering and napkins
  • 48. 2 5 C H A P T E R T W O PHOTOGRAPHER’S COMMENT—Notes on the Dish Set at the Beginning of This Chapter This editorial style shot of a white table setting for four with no food is a backlighting dream. I used a Chimera lightbank to give a soft white glow over the table and a medium bank on the left side to even out the light and fill the shadows. Both banks were set on very low power so the majority of the light was natural since we built the set in front of one of the windows in my studio. My point of focus was in the middle of the bowl in front, and with the low power of the strobe packs and use of ambient light, I easily got a shallow depth of field.
  • 49.
  • 50. T H R E E Chilling Facts about Cold Beverages
  • 51. 2 8 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S The problem with shooting a cold beverage is that once you finalize the set and pour the cold liquid into the glass, you have to wait until frost and conden- sation forms before completing photography. Then, you have a very short window of time to capture the perfect shot. By using the techniques in this chapter you can fake the effects on the glass and have more control of the appearance of the glass as well as more time to achieve the shot! The first time you read the descriptions of these techniques, you may think that they are a lot of trouble. But if you try them, I believe you will not only appreciate the effects, but also adopt them for future use. The tech- niques described in this chapter will give you a good foundation to send you down a successful path toward achieving the look you want when photographing “cold” beverages. Let’s start with a little common sense. When you pour a chilled beverage into a glass, condensation will form on the outer surface of the glass up to the fill line, giving a frosted effect. This look is appropriate for any chilled beverage without ice. When you add the element of ice to a beverage, the condensation is enhanced and eventu- ally drops, rivers, or runs develop on the outer surface of the glass. This appearance can be appropriate for all iced beverages. Sometimes condensation is created on the inside of a glass. For example, if a hot beverage is poured into a clear glass container, visible condensation will form on the inside of the glass between the top of the liquid and the top of the glass. You can achieve this appearance with the techniques described in this chapter. Simply work the techniques on the inside of the glass. It’s a little more tedious process than when working on the outside of a glass, but it can be done. In many ways faking these effects is more forgiving than working with natural physics. The techniques in this chapter will give you a stable finish on the glass allowing you unrestricted time for adjustments to the lighting, the set, and other factors. Using techniques to fake frost and create condensation on a glass also eliminates problems on the set. If you want to use the real beverage with real ice, by all means do so. But there are many instances when using the actual beverage with real ice just won’t work. TRICKS OF THE TRADE The stand-in or non-hero glass is an extremely important tool in beverage photography. It will be the guinea pig that allows you to determine many issues, such as the fill line for the glass, the color of the hero liquid, and the timing to capture bubbles and fizz created by carbonation.
  • 52. 2 9 C H A P T E R T H R E E THE BEVERAGE OF CHOICE When shooting a cold beverage, you may have options available regarding the liquid in the glass. In many cases the real beverage will work fine. In fact, in some instances, the real beverage is the only choice, especially when photographing carbonated drinks, which must be freshly opened and poured right before final photog- raphy. Beer is not included in this discussion. There are many techniques that apply specifically to beer styling for photography and warrant an entire chapter- length discussion perhaps better saved for another book. set. But if it changes in any way, leaves a film, or creates a ring at the fill line, you might want to consider using a substitute. I like to use the real beverage for white wine photos.Room temperature white wine is transferred into a hero glass that has been treated with the frost technique. The wine and glass will remain hero quality all day, unless fruit flies get into it. They can be removed with tweezers. Red wines, normally served at room temperature, don’t require glass treatments. However, they may require testing before they are photographed because some red wines are opaque. If you want to capture light through a red wine, it’s often necessary to water down the real thing.This maintains the correct color family of the wine but also gives enough transparency for light to bounce through the liquid. Milk and cream often pick up a slightly blue color to the camera. My milk of choice is either half-and-half or Elmer’s Glue-All. Most often the glue works best at full strength right out of the bottle. FROSTED GLASS PREPARATION TECHNIQUES This technique uses dulling spray to achieve the frosted appearance on a glass. The frosted look indicates to the viewer that a chilled liquid is in the glass. Dulling spray TRICKS OF THE TRADE I prefer using canned carbonated beverages when possible. Open a new can each time you fill a hero glass. Use a large-mouthed funnel to pour the carbonated beverage directly from the can into the glass on set. Cover the area of the set around the pour with a couple layers of paper towels before starting to pour. If you are uncertain about your choice of whether to use a real versus a substitute liquid, run some tests. Put the actual liquid in a stand-in glass and let it remain there undisturbed for an hour or two at room temperature. If the liquid appearance has not changed after that length of time, you can be fairly comfortable using it on
  • 53. 3 0 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S is normally used to remove shine or gloss from a surface but in this technique, it creates a foglike layer on the glass. One of the advantages of using dulling spray is that it can be easily washed off the glass with soap and water when you are finished with the project or if you need to re-apply the spray. Prep the glass a day or two before shoot day. This will allow you more time on the actual day of photography to attend to other issues on the set. Just remember to store the treated glasses in a dust- and moisture-free environ- ment, such as in a cabinet or under a cover of some type. I often use a large clear glass bowl and invert it over the treated glass. That way, others in the studio can see that there’s something under the bowl. It is also a good idea to put a sizable warning note on the cover over the glass or near the glass so no one touches it regardless of where the glass is stored. Use the stand-in glass on set to determine the fill line in the glass. Once the level is determined, turn your atten- tion to the hero glass. Clean the hero glass inside and outside using soap and water. Dry the glass with a paper towel. Next, clean both inside and outside of the glass with glass cleaner. From this point forward, avoid touch- ing the glass directly with your hands. Refer to tech- niques for moving the glass during prep and to the set in a separate section in this chapter.
  • 54. 3 1 C H A P T E R T H R E E To protect the part of the glass that is not going to be treated, run a strip of matte tape, masking tape, or painter’s tape around the top edge of the glass so that the bottom of the tape is at the approximated fill line. Assuming the glass will be standing upright on your set,be cautious to keep the tape in a horizontal line parallel to the top of the glass. If needed,use a level to make sure the tape is horizontal.Once the tape is in position, firmly press it to the glass surface. towel to cover the foot of the glass and tape it in place. Once this is completed, you’re ready for dulling spray. To maneuver the glass during the prep process, push a clean, dry paper towel inside the glass, creating an open pocket that you can put your hand, or at least a few fingers,into.By spreading your fingers out so they contact the glass through the paper towel, you can maneuver the glass. Depending on the shape of the glass, you may actu- ally be able to pick up the glass. This method will help TRICKS OF THE TRADE Leave a 2-inch length of tape sticking out at the end of the tape after you wrap it around the glass. Fold the 2-inch tape back onto itself to create a 1-inch tab. This tab will allow for easy removal after all treatments on the glass are completed. If any of the glass is exposed between the top of the glass and the tape you just positioned, you will need to cover that exposed part with tape also so that, when you’re done taping, none of the glass above the fill line is exposed. When using a glass that has a stem or foot, you’ll want to protect those areas also because those areas don’t normally frost.To do that, run a piece of tape around the top of the stem just under the bottom of the glass, leaving a tab on the tape for easy removal. Wrap the stem of the glass with a paper towel and secure the paper towel to the band of tape with a small piece of tape. The paper towel doesn’t need to be tight because its only purpose is to keep any spray from hitting the stem. Use another piece of paper
  • 55. 3 2 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S you avoid getting any fingerprints on the glass. Before using this technique for the first time, practice on a non- hero glass to gain confidence. Set the glass in the center of the spray booth. You might want to cover the top of the glass with a sturdy piece of heavy paper or cardboard to ensure that no spray enters the glass. Push the paper towel far enough inside the glass to allow the cardboard to sit flat on the top of the glass. Shake the can of dulling spray before beginning to spray and every minute or so during use. Holding the dulling spray can about 12 inches from the glass, spray the side of the glass facing you with a single light coat using a hori- zontal movement beginning and ending your spray strokes a couple of inches on either side of the glass.Turn the glass 180 degrees and repeat the spray process until the entire glass is sprayed. Be sure to replace the cardboard on top of the glass until you are finished spraying. I usually apply two light coats of dulling spray to the glass to avoid any runs. The spray washes away easily if you need to start over, but you will have to replace the tape. This will complete the frosting effect. If the frosting effect is your final goal, you can remove the tape when the dulling spray is dry. Avoid touching the frosted area of the glass. If your final goal includes condensation, don’t remove the tape at this time and leave the glass in the paper bag booth where it will reside for the remainder of your prep work. TRICKS OF THE TRADE The easiest way to make a temporary spray booth for small items is to use a brown paper grocery bag. Tear out one side of the bag, leaving the bottom and other three sides intact. The bag will sit or lay flat on a work surface to give you a three-sided “booth” with a floor. Spray in a well-ventilated area or outside.
  • 56. 3 3 C H A P T E R T H R E E Supplies used to complete the frosted effect for the white wine shot: ● One hero glass and one stand-in glass ● Windex glass cleaner ● Bounty paper towels ● Krylon dulling spray ● One large standard brown paper grocery bag ● 4-in. × 5-in. piece of heavy paper or poster board ● Small level ● White wine ● 3/4-in.-wide black matte tape found at art supply stores or masking or painter’s tape CREATING CONDENSATION My favorite technique to mimic condensation involves corn syrup rather than glycerin, which some stylists prefer. However, I use corn syrup mainly because I have developed a certain comfort level with it. One advan- tage with using corn syrup is that the water in the mixture evaporates overnight and the corn syrup will harden, leaving a semipermanent treatment. In fact, if you handle the glass carefully and avoid getting the PHOTOGRAPHER’S COMMENT—Notes on the White Wine Set I used a mixture of backlighting and strobe on this shot. The backlighting gives the curves and shape of the glass without reflections in the glass. I used a small Chimera lightbank on very low power to light the front of the set. The backlight also glows through the wine and frosted glass. No fill cards were used because they might create unwanted reflections. The lens and Hasselblad 39MS were set to capture the ambient light. A sheer beige material was taped over the window to soften the outside light and give a warm glow to the set.
  • 57. 3 4 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S outside of it wet, you can reuse the same glass several times. It’s even possible to handle the outside of the glass with clean, dry hands once it’s completely dry. down spray top. It can be purchased from a beauty supply store for less than $2. You’ll need a bottle with a nozzle that sprays a mist rather than a stream. Because straight corn syrup is too thick to spray with this type of bottle, you will need to thin it slightly with just enough water to allow it to be sprayed. I use very warm tap water because it seems to mix with the corn syrup faster. There’s no magic formula to follow because the TRICKS OF THE TRADE If you are working on an iced beverage shot, begin your glass prep by using the frosted glass preparation technique just described. Most of the frost will disappear later when the glass is sprayed with the corn syrup mixture; however, the frosting technique lays a foundation on the glass, helping the corn syrup drops be more stable. One photographer I work with had a glass I treated this way and he was able to reuse the same glass over a one- year period. He told me how he stored the glass between uses during the year. He kept a white card over the top of the glass, which prevented dust from gathering inside, and he placed the glass in a cupboard to avoid dust on the outside. Just remember that the finish on the glass is water soluble! You will find it helpful to read through this entire pro- cedure before beginning the application of condensation and drips. This effect is achieved by using a small spray bottle filled with a mixture of clear corn syrup and water. My favorite spray bottle is a 2-oz bottle with a push-
  • 58. 3 5 C H A P T E R T H R E E mix of corn syrup to water depends on the particular sprayer you use. However, the mixture is approximately three parts clear corn syrup to one part warm water. You’ll want to practice spraying the mixture onto a piece of cardboard or a non-hero glass. It may take a couple sprays in one area before drops form. If your mixture is spraying out of the bottle in a solid stream you may still get a good effect when the liquid forms into drops on the glass. However, if it’s too disconcerting or not working as you wish, thin the mixture with a tiny bit more water. When you are ready to spray the hero glass, put the heavy paper or cardboard on the top of the glass as described in the frosted glass technique. Spray from a distance of 8 to 10 inches using a vertical stroke this time, moving from top to bottom of the glass. Less spray is better at first until you see how the drops accumulate on the glass. Some of the drops will combine to make larger drops and drips within a minute of spraying, so allow a little time for the mixture to move before you continue to spray the glass. Carefully turn the glass to achieve spray coverage on all exposed surfaces of the glass. Once you’re satisfied with the drop effects, let the spray on the glass settle for one hour. You will definitely need to remove the glass from the brown bag booth after one hour to prevent the bag from sticking to the glass due to the stickiness of the corn syrup. Move the glass to a safe predetermined place. A prep surface or small acrylic cutting board works well for this purpose. Once the glass treatments are completed, the next step is to remove the black tape. Again, using the fingers of one hand inside the paper towel within the glass to keep it steady, carefully remove the tape by pulling the tabs you made when you applied the tape. If applicable, also remove any tape and paper towels from the foot or stem. Look at the glass from all sides to determine camera front. Finally, remove the paper towel from inside the glass. If time permits, I allow the treated glass to dry overnight before final photography. Supplies needed to complete a glass with condensation effects: ● One hero glass treated with frosting effects ● Karo corn syrup, clear ● Cotton-tipped swabs ● Small spritz spray bottle ● Windex glass cleaner
  • 59. 3 6 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S The technique for moving the glass at this stage of the process is a little different than during the prep phase. You are now working with a hero glass. Use this tech- nique to move the glass from this point forward. Make sure your hands are very clean and dry. Lay one hand flat over the top of the glass, and tip the glass back enough to allow you to slip a couple of fingertips from your other hand under the bottom of the glass. Lift the glass and transport it to a predetermined location. Rest the back edge of the glass on the surface. Slide your fingers out from the bottom of the glass using your hand that is flat on the top of the glass to leverage the glass to prevent it from falling over. Tip the glass upright to rest in the safety of a predetermined location until it is needed on the set. This same technique should be used to transport the glass to set. TRICKS OF THE TRADE Don’t panic if you find any smudges or overspray in the top section of the glass that was under the tape or on the stem and foot of the glass. You can do any necessary touch-up spot cleaning with a cotton-tipped swab that has been dipped in glass cleaner—but make sure it’s not wet enough to drip! I usually squeeze the cotton swab between my fingers to remove any excess glass cleaner before touching it to the hero glass. BUILDING ACRYLIC CUBES IN A GLASS We now take a look at arranging acrylic ice cubes in the hero glass. The process discussed next assumes you are also using fruit in the glass with the ice cubes; however, the technique is the same when using only acrylic ice cubes. Refer to the chapter on garnishes for information about making citrus wheels and slices. The beauty of using acrylic ice cubes is that they will not move when liquid is added to the glass. If there are fruit slices or wheels styled within the glass, the acrylic ice can be styled to hold the fruit in place. These same guidelines can be used to arrange real ice in a glass. However, be
  • 60. 3 7 C H A P T E R T H R E E
  • 61. 3 8 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S aware that real ice will float and move within the glass when liquid is added. If you’ve used real ice and fruit wheels, that means everything will move and continue to move until the ice has melted. You will need to be prepared to work fast! A long wooden skewer is a useful tool when building acrylic ice cubes and fruit within the hero glass. Begin with one or two cubes in the bottom of the glass. Then place the first lemon wheel flat against the inside of the glass so it also rests on the bottom of the glass. As you build the inside of the glass with cubes and fruit, arrange the components at different alignments. Tilt some cubes on their sides and place fruit at different heights within the glass. The fruit slices will show best if they are flat against the inside of the glass. Place the side of the fruit slice showing the color of the rind so it will be visible to the camera. The finished drink will be more attractive visually if you position the top ice cube at an angle so one corner of the cube slightly breaks through the surface of the liquid. Use the line created by the tape and dulling spray to determine how high to build the cubes. On Set Once the glass is on set, you need to see how the light- ing interacts with the acrylic ice cubes. Light tends to bounce into and out of acrylic cubes and can cause some undesired effects. Adjustments can be made to the angle of any offending cubes. When you make changes to acrylic cube positions, use a wooden skewer to nudge the cubes. Be aware that small moves make a big dif- ference in the way light comes through acrylic cubes. If a cube near the bottom of the glass needs to be adjusted, you may be able to nudge it enough to eliminate the light problem. However, it might be necessary to remove
  • 62. 3 9 C H A P T E R T H R E E a couple of cubes from the glass in order to adjust the offender. Once the cubes are positioned within the glass, check the condensation drops on the glass exterior to determine if additional drops are needed. It is often easier to make this determination after the hero liquid is in the glass. Regard- less of when you apply this technique,use a syringe or small eyedropper to place nondiluted clear corn syrup in very small amounts to achieve drops or runs where desired. ADDING LIQUID TO THE HERO GLASS Now we are ready to add the liquid. My favorite pitcher for pouring liquids on set is actually an inexpensive plastic garden watering can with an extra long spout designed to water houseplants.
  • 63. 4 0 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S Transfer the hero liquid into the pouring pitcher and go to the set. Have a few paper towels at hand. Position yourself so your eyes are at camera level or, better yet, ask someone for assistance to look from the camera while you pour to tell you when the liquid level is even with the fill line. Position the pouring spout near the center of the glass, but to avoid splashing do not aim directly at an ice cube. Pour in a slow stream to keep the liquid flowing in an even manner, avoiding any splashing and/or dripping. Pour the level of liquid in the hero glass up to the frost fill line made during the frosting and condensa- tion processes. For extra insurance against any drips, hold a folded paper towel under the pouring spout after you pour to protect from drips as the spout moves away from the glass. TRICKS OF THE TRADE Until you actually use a pitcher, you won’t know how it will pour. Test the pitcher you plan to use before you go to set. You’ll want to make certain it doesn’t drip and that it allows for a controlled pour. You also need to practice pouring with it a few times to get a grasp on how quickly you can start and stop a pour, and to determine that you can pour from the pitcher without splashing. TRICKS OF THE TRADE To protect the set surface during the pour, lay a double layer of paper towels around the area of the hero glass. After the pour is finished remove the towels by lifting them so as not to disturb the set. MAKING AND PLACING BUBBLES Immediately after they’ve been poured into a glass, many beverages naturally have bubbles on the surface of the liquid. The appearance of bubbles gives a freshly poured and a more interesting appearance. Bubbles on
  • 64. 4 1 C H A P T E R T H R E E the surface of a photo drink can be made by using some of the hero liquid plus a clear liquid dish or hand detergent. Using clear dish detergent to make the bubbles will keep the bubbles looking more natural. To make and place bubbles, use a plastic dropper. Put about 1/4 cup of the hero liquid into a mug or cup, and mix 1 tablespoon of clear liquid dish detergent into it. With the tube end of the dropper in the liquid, quickly squeeze and release the dropper bulb several times. Keep squeezing the dropper bulb until you see several bubbles the size that you want floating in the cup. When everything on set is ready for final capture,working at the set and using the dropper, suction a few bubbles into the dropper. Choose bubbles that are the size you want floating on the hero beverage. Wipe the outside of the dropper with a paper towel before depositing the bubbles on the beverage surface. There isn’t a magic formula for how long the bubbles will last. Some hang around for a long time, some are short lived. You will need to watch them during the photography process. If bubbles burst, they can be replaced. Supplies used to make surface bubbles: ● Clear liquid dish or hand detergent and water ● Plastic bulb-type dropper ● Cup or mug ● 1/4 cup of the hero liquid The image of ice tea on a sunny table was created using all the techniques in this chapter. Both the pitcher and glass contain acrylic cubes of different sizes and shapes. The glass was treated with frosting and condensation
  • 65. 4 2 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S techniques, and additional drops and drips were added to the glass exterior using a syringe filled with clear corn syrup. Bubbles were floated on the liquid surface. The liquid used in both the glass and pitcher is actually a mixture of water and brewed coffee. You can use real tea; however, I have experienced occasions when it looked a little cloudy to the camera. Supplies used to complete the iced tea shot: ● One hero glass treated with frosting effect and con- densation treatment ● One stand-in glass ● Cardinal International pitcher and glass ● One small artist’s brush ● Cotton-tipped swabs ● Acrylic ice cubes and shards ● Long wooden skewer ● Plastic bulb-type dropper ● Plastic bent-tip syringe ● Pouring pitcher or small garden watering can ● Brewed coffee and water ● Windex glass cleaner ● Karo corn syrup, clear ● Bounty paper towels ● Six lemons, for lemon wheels (refer to chapter on garnishes, Chapter 12) REMOVING LIQUID FROM A HERO GLASS There are several ways to remove liquid from a hero glass. Of course, you can always just pour the liquid out of the glass, but this will likely endanger the exterior of the glass and will not permit any future use of the glass. If you want to preserve the techniques on the glass exterior, here are two methods I prefer to remove liquids from a hero glass. I have a large syringe that was purchased at a ranch and veterinary supply store. (Basting syringes are similar in size and will serve the same purpose.) You can remove the needle for this technique, if you wish. The syringe is narrow enough to fit into most glasses. It normally takes several fillings of the syringe to empty most glasses but this is a perfect nondrip method for liquid removal. Another method is to create a siphon. This method is especially useful for pitchers and containers that hold a lot of liquid. I use a length of clear flexible plastic tubing 1/4 inch in diameter and 18 to 24 inches long. Siphon the liquid into a different container.
  • 66. 4 3 C H A P T E R T H R E E
  • 67. 4 4 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S When all liquid has been removed from the hero glasses and/or containers, remove the acrylic cubes from the glass. Carefully insert a paper towel into the glass. The paper towel will absorb any liquid remaining in the glass and will create a means for you to move the glass as you did in the earlier treatment procedures. Supplies used to create the full-page image of red bever- ages opening this chapter: ● Glasses treated with frost and condensation techniques ● Cardinal International Islande 12-oz acrylic ice cubes and shards ● Red liquid (I used pomegranate juice as a base and added water and liquid red food coloring) ● Karo corn syrup, clear SAFETY NOTE Make certain the hero liquid is nontoxic before using the siphon method! PHOTOGRAPHER’S COMMENT—Notes on the Iced Tea Set Let the sun shine in! For a fresh glass of tea we are in the window this time. We set this shot up a few days before the day of the shoot to know exactly what time of day would be perfect—in this case, 4:15 p.m. I balanced strobe and natural light with a medium Chimera lightbank and small lightbank for an overall brightness to balance the stream of natural light coming through the window. We opened the window to prevent any reflections and let the wind blow.
  • 68. 4 5 C H A P T E R T H R E E PHOTOGRAPHER’S COMMENT—Notes on the Chapter- Opening Shot with Glasses Containing Red Beverage Not a sunny day? No problem! I use a Chimera Lantern lightbank at the back of the set. This little beauty works like a soft sun, a little ball of light. It evens out the background and wraps light around the edges of the glasses. A soft fill with a medium lightbank at camera does the trick. Once again no need for reflectors or fill cards. Pulling focus with my Hasselblad H3D makes the front glass the hero.
  • 69. 4 6 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S SLUSHY DRINKS: THE MAGIC FROZEN MARGARITA Pour four cups of Glacéau Vitaminwater Tropical Citrus sport drink into a large clear glass container. Your task is to closely match the color to the margarita mix. I usually remove the label from the margarita mix bottle for a better visual of the color.The sport drink will need a little green coloring added to it. With a toothpick or skewer tip, pick up just a touch, not even a drop, of liquid green food coloring and stir it into the sport drink. A little green food coloring makes big changes, so go slow. To better match the margarita mix, I chose to add a hint of SAFETY NOTE This method of creating a slushy drink is for photography purposes only. The mixture is not for consumption! I remember years ago renting a margarita machine for a photo shoot.It took a couple hours for the machine to chill the mix to the perfect slushy consistency.Both the photog- rapher and I had to be completely ready for the hero. He had to have the lighting perfected and I had to have numer- ous glasses prepped because the photo life of the slushy mixture was less than 2 minutes, even though the building air conditioner had chilled the room to a point where the crew members were all wearing sweaters! With new technology a very realistic fake slushy frozen margarita can be made for the camera. With the right supplies and tools the process is quick and simple and produces great results. The photo life of the hero mixture will be about five times longer than that of a frozen mix. TRICKS OF THE TRADE Use the margarita mix you purchased for color matching only. The high acid and sugar content of some margarita mixes interferes with the Soil Moist granules’ absorbent qualities. For these same reasons you’ll want to avoid using sport drinks that have a higher acid or sugar content.
  • 70. 4 7 C H A P T E R T H R E E
  • 71. 4 8 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S blue to the mixture in our shot. Your mixture may appear clearer than the margarita mix at this point, but don’t worry about that because the next steps will correct the appearance. For now, just match the color to the mar- garita mix. Once you are content with the color, transfer about one- half of the liquid into a large glass mixing bowl. Reserve the remaining liquid for later use. Stir four level tea- spoons of Soil Moist granules into the mixture in the glass bowl. Let the mixture set for 10 minutes. Surprise! It’s grown and looks icy. Remove a few cups of the mixture to a blending beaker or bowl with tall sides. Using the blender or a Cuisinart Quick Prep mixer, blend the liquid for a few seconds. If the mixture becomes too thick, add a little of the reserved mix without granules and blend again. Keep blending until the gel granules are small and appear like slush.
  • 72. 4 9 C H A P T E R T H R E E Before applying any treatments to the hero glasses,remem- ber to clean them with soap and water. Dry the glasses with clean paper towels. Next, clean the glasses both inside and outside with glass cleaner and dry with clean paper towels. Make certain your hands are clean and thoroughly dry before handling the glasses. To salt the rims of the hero glasses, separate the yolk from the white of one egg. Put the egg white into a small glass bowl with about 1 tablespoon of cool water. Mix the egg white and water thoroughly with a whisk. Pour the mixture into a plate. On another plate, put a level layer of margarita or gourmet salt about 1/8th to 3/16th inch thick. Use a spatula to level the salt. Holding one glass upside-down, dip one edge of the glass into the egg white mixture and rotate the glass in a circular motion to coat all edges. TRICKS OF THE TRADE If you put the glass flat into the egg white mixture, the pressure created within the glass will force the egg whites unevenly inside the glass. To avoid this, angle the glass to rotate through the egg whites while one edge of the glass is above the liquid. When the glass rim is coated with the egg mixture, con- tinue holding it upside-down. Remove any drips with a cotton swab. Dip the glass into the salt mixture using the same rotating circular motion. Gently push the edge of the glass through the salt but avoid pushing the glass down too hard because it will mash salt away from the edge of the glass rim. Place the glass right-side up on a clean surface. Level the salt in the plate with the spatula before dipping the next glass. Repeat the process for all hero glasses. Going to Set with the Margaritas We used some of the original margarita mix in our stand-in glasses to help compose this shot. When the
  • 73. 5 0 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S arrangement of glasses on your set is comfy to the eye and to the camera, you can replace the stand-ins with hero salt-rimmed glasses. Working with one glass at a time, block a stand-in glass on three sides to mark its position. Lift the stand-in glass straight up and off the set. With very clean hands being careful not to touch the salt, place the hero glass within the blocks marking the spot for the glass. Repeat this process for each glass in your shot. When you transfer the margarita mixture into the hero glass, again take care not to touch the salt rim with your hands, tools, or with the margarita mixture. When all the glasses are filled, use a wooden skewer to break up any undesirable bubbles or areas of light refraction. Use a spoon to add additional margarita mix to mound up for a realistic presentation. With the back of the spoon, gently press the mix to create swirl or textural patterns as you wish. Before final photography, use a bulb or
  • 74. 5 1 C H A P T E R T H R E E syringe dispenser to add some of the reserved liquid to the top surface of the drink to give it a slushy, just-made look. SAFETY NOTE I know this photo beverage looks tempting, but do not drink this margarita! Supplies used to complete the margarita shot: ● Cuisinart Quick Prep CSB-77 and mixing beaker ● One bottle margarita mix (for color reference only) ● Hero glasses treated with frosted effect, Anchor Hocking 13-oz Martinique stand-in glasses ● Sport drink (I use Glacéau Vitaminwater. Buy extra for the crew to drink. It’s really good!) ● Soil Moist granules ● Two Anchor Hocking 2-quart clear glass batter bowls ● Clear Anchor Hocking 8-oz three-way pour glass measuring cup ● Zak Designs measuring spoon and mixing spoon ● Two small Cardinal Glass glass bowls ● Small OXO Good Grips whisk ● Windex glass cleaner ● Bounty paper towels ● Two Arcoroc dessert-size plates ● Wilton Comfort Grip 9-inch angled spatula ● Liquid food coloring kit ● Long wooden skewer ● Plastic bulb-type dropper ● One egg white ● Gourmet coarse salt ● Cotton-tipped swabs ● Hand-painted surface by Brad G. Rogers
  • 75. 5 2 C H I L L I N G F A C T S A B O U T C O L D B E V E R A G E S PHOTOGRAPHER’S COMMENT—Notes on Margarita Set If you don’t have a window in your studio . . . get one! Or, open your door, shoot in your house, or go on location for drink or liquid shots. You can’t control the weather but it really doesn’t take much daylight to get the effect. I have warm-colored walls in my shooting area around my windows. This warms the entire set. Again, I have used a small Chimera lightbank for fill, high and to the side. No fill cards were used because they can cause reflections in the glass. The Hasselblad H3D with telephoto lens is the perfect choice for this kind of shot.
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  • 78. F O U R Making a Salad for the Camera
  • 79. 5 6 M A K I N G A S A L A D F O R T H E C A M E R A For the stylist and photographer, shooting a salad is literally a creation of art. In a well-built, well-lit salad the vibrant colors, textures, and dimension are a feast for the eyes. Your eyes are taken on a voyage through the image’s beautiful landscape. SELECTION OF SALAD INGREDIENTS When you shop at the produce market for photograph quality salad ingredients, purchase a wide variety of items so you will have them available in the studio when you build the hero salad. Without ingredients that have color and texture differences, the salad will appear monotonous and boring. So, choosing ingredients is extremely important. Think of color wheel opposites and complementary colors as you select vegetable and other salad ingredients. Have a larger variety of ingredients in the studio than you expect to use. Prep and hero all items before you begin to build the salad. As you compose the salad, you will appreciate having a large color palate of ingredients from which to choose. Red onion slices with purple tones, and bell peppers in yellows, reds, and oranges are good examples of items that contrast with salad greens both in texture and color. Tomatoes, pomegranate seeds, herbs, and spices offer color and textural interest. Carrots and mandarin oranges have a lot of potential for shape and lend wonderful orange tones; something as simple as adding an orange element can visually pull the salad together. Don’t forget items like sliced beets, pickled vegetables, canned mandarin orange segments, and croutons that are found on shelves at the market. Be sure to check the deli department too, because there may be some great ingre- dients to be found there that won’t require prep work. Gourmet baby greens add color and textural interest to a salad. The tight growth pattern of baby greens will create a bunch of color and texture in a small space, and they mix well with other types of lettuce for a photo salad base. Also, consider using the cooking methods discussed in the chapter on vegetables (Chapter 8) for some of your salad ingredients. Refer to Chapter 12 on garnishing for more ideas about cutting produce for a salad. NOTE Techniques used for creating pasta, potato, and vegetable salads for the camera are more similar to the methods used for pasta and sauces than to those used for making green salads. Refer to the chapter on pasta (Chapter 5) for those techniques. SHOPPING AND HANDLING TECHNIQUES FOR PRODUCE Whether you’re making a salad with greens or fruit, quality and freshness are essential. If you have worked
  • 80. 5 7 C H A P T E R F O U R